(By Bruce Liu)

This is the last of the five Trials in the US. Top three girls and boys will join the other US kids to compete with their Canadian peers. If one of the top 3 can’t go, the fourth finisher will be the alternate. 12 girls and 12 boys have qualified through the previous US Hopes Trials.

Girls:
1. Swathi Giri
2. Stacy Nguyen
3. Tiffany Lam
4. Bella Goodwin

Boys:
1. Ethan Liu
2. Ved Sheth
3. Ryan Wu
4. Ishaan Mahendraker

It was great to see that former ITTF Hopes Team member Kanak Jha came to watch the Trials. Not only that, he volunteered to umpire the match for the 3rd/4th place. He also graciously stayed late on a request to take a photo with the top four boy finishers. That’s the spirit! Swathi Giri, the top finisher on the girls’ side, also gladly umpired the final match for boys. She is always a pleasant girl on and off the court.

Good luck the the qualifiers in New Jersey for the ITTF-North American Hopes Continental Qualification Event on April 28 and 29.

US Hopes info page:
https://goo.gl/VcAgTC

ICC Hopes camp and tournament info:
http://www.indiacc.org/hopes