By Gary Anderson

December 17 - China's Li Xiaoxia is among the nominees for the inaugural ITTF Star Awards in Dubai ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has revealed the list of nominees in contention for the male and female table tennis and Para-table tennis players of the year at the governing body's inaugural Star Awards be held at the Raffles Hotel in Dubai on January 11.

The eight nominees for the male and female awards have been chosen by the ITTF Athletes' Commission while the six athletes for the two Para-table tennis prizes have been shortlisted by the ITTF Para-Table Tennis division.

China's double world champion and London 2012 gold medallist Zhang Jike leads the male category after a year which saw him retain his singles title at the World Championships in Paris to follow on from his winning performance at last year's Olympics.

Compatriot Fan Zhendong is also on the list as the 16-year-old continues his prodigious rise in the sport after a year which saw him claim the number five spot in the world and win his first ITTF World Tour title in Germany.

Veteran Jean-Michel Saive has been selected following his record breaking 22nd appearance at a World Championships while the Belgian also became the first table tennis player to be elected as President of the European Olympic Committee's (EOC) Athletes' Commission.

North Korean Kim Hyok Bong is also nominated for his performances at the World Championships, where he and teammate Kim Jong defeated South Korean rivals Lee Sang-Su and Park Young-Sook in the mixed doubles final to take his country's first ever gold medal at the Championships.

Olympic and world champion Zhang Jike of China has had another impressive year ©AFP/Getty ImagesOlympic and world champion Zhang Jike of China has had another impressive year ©AFP/Getty Images























Jong makes the list for the female award where she is also joined by two Chinese athletes.

Olympic champion Li Xiaoxia added singles and doubles world crowns to her collection in Paris, while Liu Shiwen won the Women's World Cup and finished the year as the world number one.

Three-time Paralympic champion Natalia Partyka of Poland, who also competes in able-bodied competitions, has also been nominated after becoming the ITTF's first Dream Building Ambassador.

The Dream Building programme has been set up to develop and promote Para-table tennis, junior table tennis and various development programmes and the proceeds of the awards night in Dubai will go to funding these initiatives.

Germany's Thomas Schmidberger leads the way in the men's Para-table tennis category after the London 2012 silver medallist has gone through the year unbeaten in class three, picking up a European Championship gold and wins at the Czech, Italian, and Slovenian Opens.

He is joined by Britain's Robert Davies who climbed to number one in the world in the class one division after taking singles and doubles gold at the European Championships in Italy.

With singles gold at the Asian Championships in class nine and team gold at the Korean Open Ma Lin of China completes the male nominees.

London 2012 champion Natalia Partyka has become the ITTF's first Dream Building Ambassador ©Getty ImagesLondon 2012 champion Natalia Partyka has become the ITTF's first Dream Building Ambassador ©Getty Images
























On the women's side, Sweden's Paralympic champion Anna-Carin Ahlquist heads the list after another successful year in which she took singles gold at the European Championships before taking both singles and team gold in Argentina, Slovenia, Germany, and Italy.

Sandra Paovic of Croatia also took European Championship gold as well as adding class six titles at the Slovenian, Hungarian and Italian Opens.

Australia's Melissa Tapper completes the list of nominees after a year which saw reach number two in the class ten world rankings following victory at the Bayreuth Open and bronze medals at the Lasko and Bratislava Opens.

The winners will be chosen by an expert ITTF panel and announced on the night in Dubai.

There are also three other awards on offer, which will be decided by fans who can vote for their own male and female players of the as well as their favourite rally or shot of the year.

Fans have until January 4 to register their vote and can do so by clicking here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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