Meet the Table Tennis Wales Players: Callum Evans

Callum Evans will be a name familiar with many throughout the table tennis community in Wales. As Table Tennis Wales’ South East Regional Development Officer, his passion for the sport comes through in his work as well as his own exploits on the table.

Amazingly, he started playing as a year-seven pupil forced inside by a rainy day. Without any knowledge of the sport, Callum picked up a bat simply because table tennis was the only sport on offer that day and has never looked back.

Now, table tennis is pivotal to Callum’s daily life and, alongside his duties fostering the grassroots side of the game in his region, he boasts an array of accomplishments including multiple national titles and a Commonwealth Games appearance.

Currently the highest ranked Men’s player in Wales, he has recently returned from the Finland Open where, among 100 competitors, he achieved a 26th-placed finish.

We recently spoke to Callum about his journey through the sport, and his ups and downs.

What does a typical day of training look like for you?

“A typical day of training is now very limited as I spend my hours coaching and working for Table Tennis Wales as the Regional Development Officer.

“My typical week of training is normally two hours on the table, practicing when I can around my job.

“If I have a competition coming up, I will try to get some more hours on the table; up to six hours potentially. However, when I was a full-time player and national athlete, I was training between four and six hours daily, in various locations, and I believe this is what pushed me on to that national level.”

What advice would you give to aspiring table tennis players who aspire to reach the levels you’ve reached?

“Keep practicing, get on the table as much as possible, practice your serves, make sure you’re fit, make sure you stretch a lot as you don’t want to get any injuries, and listen to your coaches around you!”

How do you handle the pressure of representing your country?

“I enjoy representing my country on the international stage, so I take the pressure as a good thing.

“I often give myself time to warm up properly, and make sure I am prepared for the match by listening to music, stretching, and talking through my strengths that I am going to use.

“Focusing on every point is also very important to me, trying not to think about winning or losing, just focusing on the upcoming point.”

Can you tell us about a challenging moment in your career?

“I used to get very homesick when I was away for tournaments and training sessions abroad. It would keep me awake and I couldn’t focus in training, so I was struggling to play my best table tennis when I needed to.

“I overcame it by going abroad more often and getting more used to the idea of being away from home, making good friendships with the players in my team, and enjoying the experience of being away and playing for my country.”

The challenges and dedication have all been worth it for Callum, however, who has incredible experiences to think back on.

Could you share one of your most memorable victories or achievements in your table tennis career so far?

“Winning the Senior National Title for seven years in a row is a big achievement of mine in Wales.

“On a European level, getting to the last 64 of the European Championships and picking up two world-class wins along the way is a very memorable moment for me.

“Playing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022 was also a great achievement for me and a very memorable moment in my career, with all my friends and family able to come and support me.”

Those moments have been a result of Callum’s hard work as well as the inspiration he takes from his sporting role models Zhang Jike and Gareth Bale.

“Zhang Jike was my favourite player. He was an extremely good player and played differently to other Chinese players, and he showed a lot of emotion when he played which was good to see.

“My sports role model would be Gareth Bale. He was one of the best footballers in the world, playing at one of the best football teams in the world and he was from Wales, showing that anything is possible from a small country like Wales!”

Having achieved so much already, Callum is still looking ahead to the future, but taking it one step at a time.

What are your goals and aspirations for your table tennis career in the coming years?

“Keep winning the Senior Men’s National Title. Keep representing my country.

“I just want to try and maintain my level to the highest possible standard.”