Ping-pong king leads Ireland into championships

A FINGLAS local will fly the flag for Ireland and
battle it out with the best in next week’s World Table Tennis Championships in
Germany.

Five times national champion John Murphy leads the
Irish team for the hotly contested competition that gets underway in Dortmund
on March 28.

This will be the ninth world team championship for the
talented Northsider who has been involved in the sport for 15 years.

“We’ll be up against 145 other countries,

? John
explained before he headed off to Germany.

“It would be unrealistic to expect to win anything
given the level of skill and pace from the Chinese and Asian teams – they’re
the masters but we do hope to rank in the top 50 teams.

?

Earlier this month John (25), who lives on Sycamore
Road in Finglas, was crowned Irish national champion for the fifth time.

Until recently, the talented ping-pong king was a
professional player who spent time in China, Sweden and Germany learning his
trade.

He is now sharing his knowledge and passion for the
sport through coaching kids and working in schools across the city.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to earn a living from the
sport I love,

? he explained.

“It’s not like I’m driving a Ferrari or anything but
I’m able to get by.

“I work hard leaving the house early in the morning
and between all the coaching and my own training I don’t get home till around
10pm.

“It’s great to be in a position where I’m now working
with the up and coming players who will no doubt be national champions
themselves in the future.

?

John is dedicated to training both at the table and in
the gym where he focuses on strength and conditioning training.

“People might think that there isn’t much exertion but
in fact the top players in the world would have the same fitness levels and the
world’s best soccer players,

? John explained.

“We don’t exactly play in our jeans. It’s just as much
as a sport as any other. It’s a high energy impact sport.

?

John first got a taste for table tennis at
10-years-of-age while attending Sacred Heart Boys National School in Ballygall
where the sport was encouraged and tables were readily available.

He joined the ALSAA Sports Club near Dublin Airport
two years later where he continued to develop his game. His skill and talent
was obvious from a young age and he soon climbed the ranks before turning
professional after completing the Leaving Certificate.