Before going to Istres this Sunday, then continuing with the reception of Lille on Tuesday, Amiens is in second place in the table tennis Pro B ranking, just one point behind the leader. The ASTT has achieved a convincing first half of the season and is aiming for at least the top 4.
And this year again the Picard club is counting on Horacio Cifuentes. The Argentinian, who took part in the Tokyo Olympics last summer, fully plays his role within the Amiens collective where he feels “perfectly well. It’s a great club, I feel at home here. I’m really happy.”
We didn’t necessarily think we’d finish the first leg in first place
On a sporting level, Horacio Cifuentes believes that he and his partners form “a real group, even more than last season. There is a very good relationship between all of us. And I am convinced that in this atmosphere, when we feel all good it brings good results. But to be honest, we did not necessarily expect to finish the first leg in first place.”
About the return phase, the Argentinian assures that the team “does not put pressure on itself. We are not talking about a climb objective. We are not making a plan. We are just going to give the best for the club, for us. That’s how we’re going to get results. There’s still a long way to go. We have a lot of difficult matches ahead of us. If we look at the results of the first phase, we can win against the third, and losing against eighth. It’s a very difficult championship so you don’t have to project yourself too much, take match after match.”
Paris 2024 in the viewfinder
A few months after participating in his first Olympic Games in Tokyo, Horacio Cifuentes seems sure of his strengths and those of his team. And the memory of this Olympiad delighted him. It was a really good time. It’s a dream to participate, an important moment in my career. Few people have the privilege of competing in the Olympic Games. But now I think more about qualifying for the next ones, Paris 2024!”