Branka Batinic found the Kalahari Farmhouse in Stampriet particularly appealing. The table tennis star was taken by the tall palm trees and the unique atmosphere of the old farmhouse. Even though this Gondwana accommodation facility was just the first stop on her 10-day tour though southern Namibia. She also visited the Cañon Roadhouse, which exudes an inimitable charm with its veteran vehicles, and Namib Desert Lodge at the foot of the fossilized dunes. The 52-year-old greatly enjoyed her stay in all three places.
Batinic started to play table tennis when she was eight years old. She became the Yugoslavian and the Croatian champion many times over and won seven medals at world and European championships between 1973 and 1986. At the 2006 Table Tennis World Championship she won the Over 40s singles and doubles title. Batinic, who studied economics, lives in Germany and is a trainer at a sports club. In between she travels around the world on behalf of the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF to present courses for trainers and emerging talent.
Her visit to Namibia was arranged by Ilse Liebener from Windhoek who has been a staunch supporter of table tennis in this country for many years. The two ladies met in June 2010 in Germany where the internationally acknowledged trainer helped the Namibian to hone her skills ahead of the World Veterans Table Tennis Championship in Inner Mongolia. The invitation to Namibia was a thank-you from Ilse Liebener.
During a training session in Windhoek the renowned trainer demonstrated the essential elements of table tennis: technique, a quick eye and swift reaction. She would love to come back and share her skills in a more extensive course.
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