October 1, 2008
Trinko Keen Announces Retirement
 Trinko Keen Photo By: Istvan Polonyi |
Courtesy of ITTF September 30, 2008 - The 2008 Liebherr European Championships, which start next week in St Petersburg, Russia, will be the final international tournament for the Dutch table tennis player Trinko Keen. Today the 37 year old, world no.50, announced that he will retire after nearly twenty years of world-class table tennis. |
Trinko Keen has been a regular competitor on the international scene for over sixteen years.
Retiring at the Top
"I wanted to quit when still playing at the highest level", said Keen about his decision. "My administrative career takes now more and more time. I want to concentrate on my work for the Presidency of the Dutch Athletes' Commission and the Governing Board of The Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF)."
Keen has established an impressive international record. He is a three-time medal winner at the European Championships and many times has reached the finals and semi-final stages on the ITTF Pro Tour. Trinko Keen is a three-time former Olympian (Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004). Currently he appears in 50th place in the ITTF September World Ranking.
Doubles with Schlager
Although Keen will not play more international championships, he will not quit table tennis entirely. In any case, he will finish the German Table Tennis League season with his club Werder Bremen.
"I love this sport and can still obtain a high level. The period that I have spent as a full-time professional, is however over."
Keen will compete in the 2008 Liebherr European Championships in the Men's singles event as well as in doubles with former World champion Werner Schlager from Austria.
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