Indonesian table tennis athlete Muhammad Naufal Junindra Irawan is targeting an increase in his International Table Tennis Federation world rankings, in order to open up opportunities to appear in various prestigious multi-events such as the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2026 Asian Games.
He said that improving one's ranking was crucial in order to qualify for both events.
"In the future, I will strive to further improve my ranking in the ITTF," he said at an event themed "Table Tennis Ecosystem Synergy for International Achievement," organized by the Indonesia Pingpong League .
The 18-year-old athlete explained that to qualify for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, he must reach at least 64th place in the world rankings for the Youth (U-19) category. He is currently ranked 86th.
In addition, similar measures are also needed to open up opportunities to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games.
