July 25, 2008
Junior Spotlight: Yahao Zhang
 Yahao Zhang at the 2008 Aurora Spring Open Tournament Photo Couresty of Aurora Table Tennis Club |
Yahao Zhang |
By: Richard McAfee
Courtesy of USA Table Tennis
What equipment do you use?
Blade: Butterfly Iolite
Forehand Rubber: Butterfly Bryce
Backhand Rubber: Butterfly Tackifire
What is your style of play?
Two-winged power looping game combining power and foot speed.
When did you move from China to the U.S.?
I moved to the U.S. in 2003.
How did you get interested in the sport?
When I was 8 years old, I played with some friends and I just fell in love with it. I couldn’t stop playing it for one day. I took my first lesson in 2000 and have continued training ever since.
What are some of your goals in the sport?
My current goal at this moment is to be able to train more, because lately I only have been training three or four times a week. I would like to be a world class player one day.
What are some of your goals outside the sport?
I don’t really have a goal outside of this sport, because most of the things I have done and my immediate plans are all related to table tennis. Right now, table tennis is my world and I will see what will happen later on and make those decisions then.
Who are the coaches and training partners that have helped you?
I think there are many coaches and players that have helped me in many ways. The coach who has helped me the most for the last five to six years is Francisco Mendez. He has helped make me the player I am today. We train every week and go to some of the tournaments together. He has not only guided me in table tennis but also in life as well. Our relationship has grown beyond that of coach and student. We are friends that trust and help each other.
I understood you spend time training in China during the summer. Can you tell us something about that experience?
I have spent the last two summers in China. I went there mainly for training and also to visit some of my family who still live there. The training was intense. I played almost seven days a week two times a day for a month. There were many great players in the Guangxi team, where I was training. One of the highlights of my last trip was competing in a local tournament and finishing in the top sixteen.
What activities do you enjoy in your free time?
Most of my free time is watching TV and just chatting on the internet.
What other sports do you enjoy participating in?
I also enjoy playing basketball in my free time.
Anything else you would like to say?
I would like to especially thank my sponsor, Butterfly. They have provided great support for me for the last three years.
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