Edward Ly makes his place on the international scene

Long trips to the four corners of the world, inconveniences and fatigue related to jet lag, many moments away from family and friends, but on the other hand the incredible opportunity to be part of the world’s table tennis elite and to take part in the most important competitions. This is the new reality for young Edward Ly, 22, the third Quebec table tennis player, after Pierre-Luc Hinse and Marie-Christine Roussy, to have the honour of participating in the Olympic Games.

Edward Ly discovered table tennis at the age of 8, when his cousin, a member of the junior national team, was enjoying great success. He didn’t like the sport very much at first, in fact, he attended his cousin’s tournaments because his parents forced him to. But passion eventually won him over.

It was in 2011, as part of the Trois-Rivières Open, that he got his first taste of competition. The Montreal Games, the Quebec Games, the Canada Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Pan-American Cup, last January, followed one after the other. It was at this same Cup that he won the gold medal even though he wasn’t even supposed to take part. This victory allowed him to qualify for the Olympic Games and jump several places in the world rankings, reaching 36^e level. “It is the highest ranking in Quebec and the 2^e Canadian ranking after Johnny Huang, who at his peak was 11^e. But he came from China to Canada at the age of 21.”

So what is so exciting about this sport where the little white ball sometimes flies at incredible speeds? “You have the chance to travel a lot. Walking around Quebec at such a young age is cool. It’s also the process of working hard, with the ups and downs, and getting there one day. And then, you feel like all your efforts have paid off.”

Preparing for the Olympic Games

Let’s talk about his efforts, because Edward has had to make a lot of sacrifices. Away from his family for the last two years, while his career has taken off, he trains most of the time in Asia where he has a private trainer. The training, moreover, has intensified in the run-up to the Games, with a total of four to five hours a day, six days a week. In addition to physical preparation. But as he says so well: “You have your goals, you know why you’re doing this.”

What are his goals for the Games? Is it possible to counter China’s dominance when the country has the four best players in the world, and both men and women won gold and silver at the last Olympics?

Edward Ly’s goals remain realistic. For the team competition, he hopes to “just do my best,” while in singles, because of his ranking, he will not have to play the first round and will automatically advance to the round of 48.

“If I can be able to do a top 32that would be nice. But it depends on the draw. Right now, I just hope I can raise my level to be able to win a match or two. It’s the Olympics, you have the best in the world, but if you train hard, give 100%, and push yourself beyond your own limits, you don’t know what can happen.”

These talented Chinese

Edward Ly knows what he’s talking about: he was able to rub shoulders with Olympic gold medalist Ma Long at the last World Cup held in Macau in mid-April.

Despite the stress of facing one of the greatest of all time, on Chinese soil in front of such a huge crowd of supporters, Edward Ly managed to take a 3-0 lead early in the second set. Ma Long, however, quickly recovered and imposed his rhythm to win the match.

Why are the Chinese so dominant? Is it just because it’s their national sport? The former student in sports studies at the Collège de Montréal says that the culture, which is strict, has a lot to do with it. Coaches put a lot of pressure on players and if performance doesn’t follow, they can be fired. These coaches, often former Olympic medalists or former world champions, find themselves in big teams in order to “pass on knowledge from generation to generation.” Finally, the Chinese competition system means that players start young and competition is fierce due to the large number of players. Everyone must therefore fight to make their place.

The one who is pursuing his college studies in virtual sports studies does not yet know what he will do after the Games, but he would like to go to university. Become a coach at the Ly Table Tennis Academy – LYTTA, the table tennis club founded by his father, where he himself was able to improve his skills? Help his younger brother Kenny Ly, who is following in his footsteps, to progress even further?

“I hope to have more time in the future to be able to help him with his career. But I’m already really proud of him, of what he’s accomplished. Because I think he’s really passionate.” Will we ever see both Ly brothers at the Olympics? Only time will tell!