Jersey table tennis player Hannah Silcock says she is relishing the chance to take on Europe’s best later this month. The 19-year-old will represent the island at the European Championships in Slovenia, the first time she has competed at the senior event.
Silcock is ranked 340th in the world in women’s singles and 135th in Europe. She has risen up the world rankings in the past year and is now the sixth-best ranked British woman in the world.
Building on a busy year
The European Championships follow her appearance at the European Junior Championships in July. There, she reached the last 64 in the mixed doubles after an early exit in the singles.
Silcock has recently trained alongside Great Britain’s elite players in Sheffield in the build-up to the European Championships. She has also played in France and Sweden.
She first attracted national attention at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Aged 15, she pushed England’s top-ranked player, Tin Tin Ho, in the last 32 of the women’s singles before losing 4-2.
Focus on the sport
Silcock credits her rise to her decision to concentrate fully on table tennis. She is ranked 110th in the junior world rankings.
“Taking a year out just to focus on playing table tennis has definitely enhanced my game,” she said.
She also pointed to a trip to Japan earlier in the year. “I went to Japan for a couple of weeks in the summer which was amazing and the training was so good. I feel like it’s definitely improved my game.”
Silcock said the progress in the rankings has put her in a strong position. “I’ve seen a big jump in the rankings, so I’ve put myself in a good position and I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes next.”
Testing herself against Europe’s best
Silcock is approaching the senior event with a clear goal. “It’s my first senior Europeans. I played the junior Europeans in the summer, now a first senior competition I think it’s just seeing how I get along against these players.”
She added: “I’m just trying to pick up a few good wins here and there and just kind of get a feel for it really.”