The week-long talent identification programme has brought together 15 boys and 14 girls from Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Vanuatu, creating an unprecedented gathering of Pacific youth talent under the guidance of Head Coaches Hongbo Liang and Ocean Belrose.
The programme’s most exciting milestone this year lies in Vanuatu’s participation, represented by young talent Akaiah Aris Kaltoi, whose mother Anolyn Lulu is a table tennis veteran in the Pacific island nation. This debut marks a crucial step in extending Continental Hopes reach to developing table tennis nations across Oceania.
Kaltoi’s participation represents how Continental Hopes programmes can bridge geographic and developmental gaps, ensuring young talents from smaller nations receive the same opportunities as those from established table tennis countries.
Strong Regional Representation
Australia arrived with a strong delegation led by Olympian and Paralympic medallist Melissa Tapper as coach, supported by Michael Mastromonaco. The Australian team brings eight talented players to compete alongside their Pacific neighbours.
New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Tahiti complete the five-nation field, creating a truly representative Pacific gathering that spans from Australia’s established programme to Tahiti’s emerging talent development initiatives.
Expert Coaching Leadership
Head Coaches Hongbo Liang and Ocean Belrose lead the technical programme, providing participants with access to international-level expertise that many would rarely encounter at national level. The coaching structure ensures all participants, regardless of their country’s current development status, receive equal access to high-quality instruction.
The presence of Melissa Tapper as Australia’s team coach adds Olympic and Paralympic-level experience to the programme, demonstrating Oceania’s commitment to providing participants with exposure to elite sporting mentorship.
The New Caledonia setting provides an ideal backdrop for Pacific nations to unite through sport. The programme structure emphasises development and learning over competition, ensuring participants from different developmental stages can benefit equally from the experience.
For nations like Vanuatu, the programme offers invaluable international exposure that can catalyse domestic development. For established programmes like Australia’s, it provides opportunities to compete against diverse playing styles and cultural approaches to the sport.
The Oceania Hopes Week represents a crucial step in the pathway toward the World Hopes Week & Challenge in Sheffield later this year. Pacific participants will join peers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, creating a truly global gathering of emerging talent.
For Vanuatu specifically, this debut participation could inspire broader development initiatives and encourage other Pacific island nations to strengthen their table tennis programmes. The programme demonstrates how Continental Hopes activities can serve as catalysts for regional growth.
The week-long format allows for comprehensive development, with participants receiving intensive coaching while experiencing the unique cultural blend that defines New Caledonia and the broader Pacific region.
The ITTF-Oceania Hopes Week concludes tomorrow in Nouméa, with participants from across the Pacific benefiting from expert coaching and international exposure as they pursue their table tennis aspirations.
