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Photo: Kheith Rhynne Cruz answers questions from the panel as International boxing judge Rey Danseco looks on. Danseco is one of the recipients of the coming Pacquiao-Elorde Boxing Awards Night.
Filipina table tennis phenom Kheith Ryhnne Cruz is determined to earn a place at the Olympics, despite the tough competition she will face at the qualifying tournaments. As the current World Table Tennis Youth Challenge 19-under champion, Kheith is confident in her abilities and hopes to follow in the footsteps of her late idol, Ian Lariba.
Kheith will be competing in two Olympic qualifying tournaments: the European Open in April, and the Asian Table Tennis Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, in May. She will be playing in mixed doubles with John Nayre at the European Open, where only the top 4 teams will earn a spot at the Paris Games. At the Asian Championships, Kheith will be playing in the women’s singles event, where only one slot is available for the Olympics, making it crucial for her to win the gold medal.
“At the European Open, I will play in mixed doubles with John Nayre; here, we must get through because only the top 4 will be given slots for the Paris Games. In the Asian Championships, I will play in the women’s singles, where only one slot is needed for the Olympics. It means I need to win the gold medal,” said the 17-year-old and world No. 66 in the 17-under class during the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports, Inc. (TOPS) ‘Usapang Sports.’
“The challenge is tough, but I am ready to repay the trust and support given to me by our countrymen and my sponsors, who continue to trust my ability. That’s why I focus on training and benefit from the opportunities I have played abroad,” she said in the weekly forum sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Behrouz Persian Cuisine, and Pocari Sweat.
Cruz acknowledges the challenge ahead but is grateful for the support and trust given to her by her fellow countrymen and sponsors. She has been working hard to prepare for these tournaments and hopes to make her country proud by earning a spot at the Olympics.
“If I am lucky this year, it’s really a blessing, but if not, I’ll try again for the next Olympics. Target ko po talaga ang Olympics at matularan ang success ni Ate Yan-Yan (Lariba),” said Cruz.
Kheith has already achieved success in various tournaments, including winning four gold medals in the Under-19 singles, Open singles, U19 mixed doubles, and Open women’s doubles events at the Silicon Valley Table Tennis Tournament in San Francisco last February. She also won a gold medal in the Open Singles and Mixed doubles event with Kenneth Pinili at the Sacramento Winter Open Table Tennis in January.
“I’m super proud to be able to play in a world-class tournament. World-ranked players are here, so I’m inspired to play. I hope the support will continue so that I can continue training here in the US,” she said.
Cruz is scheduled to return to California to train at the Triple 8 Club Center managed by Pinoy migrant Ivy Spencer.
“It’s better to train in the US compared to China. First, of course, is communications. Second, in China, it is difficult to play at a higher level, compared to the US, where there is no problem if you want to play with the world-ranking players,” said Cruz.
Kheith is determined to achieve her ultimate goal of playing in the Olympics and hopes to emulate the success of her late idol, Yan-Yan Lariba. She believes that training in the US will help her achieve her goals, as she can practice with world-ranking players and communicate more easily. Kheith is grateful for the support of the Table Tennis Association for National Development (TATAND), Joola, and XIOM, a Korean brand that sponsors world champions.
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