(from Bowmar Sports and Karina Xiao)
Recently, we had opportunity to connect with Karina Xiao, a California athlete who is already making waves in international table tennis at just 11 years old. It’s hard not to be impressed with her both on and off the court – and we are happy to have her as a part of the Butterfly North American family. 
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Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and share a little about your path in the sport of table tennis?
My name is Karina Xiao, and I am an 11-year-old table tennis player from California. Table tennis has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My whole family loved the sport inspired me to start playing when I was six years old. We had a table in our house, and what began as a fun family activity quickly became something I loved. When I was eight, I joined a club and started training with a professional coach. I learned new skills very quickly, and every year I have enjoyed the challenge of improving, competing, and discovering how much more there is to learn in table tennis.
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You’ve had some recent successes. Tell us about your last few years of competition?
Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to achieve many goals that I once only dreamed about. Some of my favorite memories include winning the U11 Girls Singles title at the 2025 Pan America Youth Championships, helping my team win the U11 Girls Team gold medal, becoming the runner-up in U11 Girls Singles at the U.S. National Championships, and being selected for the ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge. More recently, I reached the finals of the U13 Girls events at the 2026 USATT Pacific Championships and the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco. One experience that was especially meaningful happened just three weeks ago, when I was invited, together with other U.S. team members, to participate in the two-week 2026 China–U.S. Table Tennis Youth Camp at the China National Table Tennis Base. The camp celebrated the 55th Anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy and brought young players from both countries together through friendship, learning, and a shared love of table tennis. It reminded me that table tennis is not only a sport, but also a way to connect people around the world.
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What have you been doing to improve?
Lately, I have been working hard on improving every part of my game, including my techniques, consistency, and mental strength. I train many hours each week, and I enjoy challenging myself by competing against older and stronger players. I am very thankful to my family, coaches, teammates, and everyone who has supported me along the way.
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What is “next” for you?
In the future, I hope to continue representing the United States in international competitions and become a professional table tennis player. At the same time, I also want to become a neurosurgeon because I enjoy science and would like to help others. I know that both goals require dedication, hard work, and perseverance, and table tennis has already taught me many of those lessons. I am excited to keep improving, to inspire other young players, and to see where this journey takes me.
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Thanks for spending some time with us, Karina. We look forward to watching you compete.
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