Beijing, April 20 (IANS) Fang Bo, a former member of the Chinese men’s table tennis team that won World Cup and World Championships titles, announced on Monday that he would represent Kazakhstan in future competitions, excluding the Olympic Games, World Championships, and World Cup.

“I announce my return and will represent Kazakhstan,” Fang wrote on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. “I have established cooperation with Nomad Table Tennis Academy, and I plan to compete in World Table Tennis events from June.”

“I still hold Chinese nationality. I will not compete in the three majors,” he added.

Fang, 34, helped China win the 2015 Team World Cup and the 2016 World Team Championships. He reached the final of the 2015 World Championships in Suzhou before losing to teammate Ma Long, reports Xinhua.

Fang announced his retirement from the Chinese team in 2021. “My love for table tennis remains the reason why I come back. I want to challenge my limits once again,” he concluded.

A 33-year-old player with a right-handed, shakehand grip, Fang Bo reached the men’s singles final at the World Championships by defeating the second-seeded Xu Xin and the defending champion Zhang Jike.

In 2017, he partnered with Petrissa Solja of Germany to win a bronze medal in the mixed doubles section at the World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. Fang also won a silver medal in the doubles and a bronze medal in mixed doubles in the 2017 Asian Championship in Wuxi. He won six medals, including three gold in the ITTF World Tour in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

In 2009, Fang Bo joined the Chinese national table tennis team. In December 2009, he won all four team and individual titles at the 2009 World Junior Championships, becoming the first youth player to accomplish this feat in China.

–IANS

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