UEW Lecturer Appointed Technical Official for Birmingham 2022
Mr. Francis Frimpong, a lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and an umpire for table tennis and para table tennis, has been chosen as a technical official for the aforementioned events at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. He is the sole Ghanaian to have been chosen for these events.
He was appointed on the recommendation of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). As a technical official, he is expected to play a critical role in delivering the Games for what promises to be a truly transformative moment for the Commonwealth Sports Movement.
Mr. Frimpong has served as a technical official at major table tennis events such as the 2022 ITTF Africa Cup in Lagos, Nigeria; the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open and the ITTF Africa Cup, Club Championships; the 2019 ITTF Africa Youth Championship, Accra, Ghana in April, 2019; the 2019 World University Games, Napoli, Italy in July, 2019; the 3rd Africa Youth Games, Algiers, Algeria in July, 2018; and the 3rd Youth Olympics, Buenos Aires, Argentina in October, 2018.
Others are the 21st Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia in April, 2018; the ITTF World Tour Platinum Open, Shenzhen, China in June, 2018; the World Table Tennis Championships, Dusseldorf, Germany in May, 2017; the 2016 Rio Olympics Qualification Championships & Africa Top-16 Challenge, Khartoum, Sudan in February, 2016; and the 11th All Africa Games, Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo in September, 2015.
Speaking in an interview with UEW media, Mr. Frimpong, a lecturer at the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport (HPERS), expressed delight at his second successive appointment to officiate in the prestigious quadrennial games.
"My first time was at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. This appointment tells me that hard work is certainly rewarded. As one of only two Africans and the sole Ghanaian technical official in table tennis, I feel encouraged to keep working to inspire other young officials in the country to climb to higher heights," he said.
The technical official for table tennis and para table tennis vowed to work diligently per the sport's rules and regulations while representing UEW to the outside world. He promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by the CGF and ITTF by being fair and firm in his duties and working to his utmost capability.
He underscored the prospect of synchronising academics and sports, especially in Ghana. "It is my quest to ensure that Ghanaian children, parents, and teachers alike recognise the possibility of perfectly blending sports with academics and the numerous opportunities thereof."
Mr. Frimpong expressed sincere gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Prof. Mawutor Avoke, and the entire management of the University for the permission and support extended to him. He was also appreciative to the organisers of the competition for the recognition bestowed on him.
The Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis competition begins on Friday, 29th July, and ends on Monday, 8th August, 2022.
Mr. Francis Frimpong, currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Human Kinesiology Henan University in Kaifeng City, China, is a Lecturer at the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (HPERS), UEW. He holds an M.Phil. in Human Movement Science (Sports Biomechanics – concentration) from the Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China.
Mr. Frimpong also served as a graduate teaching assistant at the College of Physical Education, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China, between September 2018 and June 2019 and as an installation officer, research and marketing assistant for Hebei Benow Sports Goods Company Limited, Shijiazhuang, China, from August 2018 to November 2022.
He managed three major international table tennis competitions for the ITTF between June 2019 and November 2020. These competitions were the 2019 China Junior and Cadet Championships in Taicang, China; the 2019 Chinese Taipei Junior and Cadet Championship in Taipei, Taiwan; and the 2019 ITTF Asian Para Championship and Tokyo Olympics Qualifications in Taichung, Taiwan.
Mr. Frimpong worked as an exercise physiologist at the Holy Trinity Spa and Health Farm, Sogakope, Ghana from June 2015 to September 2016. On the African continent, he currently serves as a member, in charge of development in Anglophone countries, of the Umpire and Referees Committee (URC) of ITTF-Africa.
He has won several international laurels, among which include the most outstanding international student at Northwest Normal University in 2018; the only Ghanaian with an ITTF certified Blue Badge Table Tennis Umpire; a silver medal for the men’s team of Northwest Normal University at the Gansu Province Universities Table Tennis Tournament, Lanzhou, China, also in the year 2018; and a bronze medal for men singles at the same competition in October 2017.
