Visitors paint Chinese opera masks during the opening of the Happy Chinese New Year event at the China Cultural Center in Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 4, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA）

YANGON - Myanmar is set to organize a friendship table tennis competition in Yangon on Feb 15 to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, according to an official from the country's Table Tennis Federation.

"It is a tournament to mark the 2024 Year of Dragon. Players of Chinese descent in Myanmar will participate in the tournament," U Kyaw Kyaw, president of the table tennis federation, told Xinhua on Friday, saying that there are a lot of table tennis players of Chinese descent in Myanmar.

A total of 128 players will compete in the competition, and the games will be played in accordance with the rules set by the International Table Tennis Federation, the federation said

The event aims to nurture a new generation of athletes, offering them valuable experience while stimulating public interest in table tennis. Young players will have the opportunity to observe and learn from seasoned national athletes, enriching their understanding of different styles and techniques, the federation said.

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A total of 128 players will compete in the competition, and the games will be played in accordance with the rules set by the International Table Tennis Federation, the federation said.

All matches will follow a single-elimination format and best-of-five setup, except the final match, which will adopt a best-of-seven setup, it said.

The event, namely the China-Myanmar Table Tennis Friendship Men's Invitational Competition, will take place at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium 1 in Yangon, the federation said.