TEAM 2012: Table tennis hopeful Sibley brimming with new confidence

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

TABLE tennis player Kelly Sibley believes she can beat anyone in the world and admits her new-found confidence couldn't be better timed with the London 2012 Olympics two years away.

TEAM 2012: Kelly Sibley is hoping for more success at the Commonwealth Games after impressing at the World Team Championships in Moscow (Visa Team 2012)

The 22-year-old was named as part of a three-strong English squad for the World Team Championships back in May and is adamant she has returned from Moscow a different player.

Sibley was the star performer on the team as England - in their first year in the championship division following promotion in 2008 - finished 21st overall scooping seven wins and losing just three times.

And after the countdown clock to the London Olympics ducked under the two-year mark on July 27, Sibley insists her Russian adventure will prove beneficial come the 2012 Games.

"We are getting closer and closer to the top teams and the top players the closer we are getting to London 2012, so we are progressing in the right way," said Sibley.

"We didn't just go to the World Team Championships to make up the numbers which was a great positive for us to take from it - we were competitive and I think we surprised some people.

"We had to work far harder to win points but it was good because there was no pressure on us and we could just get out and play and test ourselves against the best.

"We didn't want to go to Russia and make up the numbers. We don't want to go to 2012 and make up the numbers and I am sure we can make sure that we don't do that.

"We know now that whoever we face, even if they are the best in the world, that we have a chance to beat them and that is a good feeling to have at this stage."

Sibley's attentions have now turned towards the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October - an event she earmarks as just as important as the World Team Championships on the road to 2012.

She admitted to feeling nervous while in Russia but believes the Commonwealths will be a completely different story as she bids for further individual recognition.

"The coach and the performance director will select the Commonwealth team but I have been around for a while now and I am confident that I will be a part of it," she added.

"I will go there with extra confidence having been to Russia and hopefully I will carry that to 2012 because I was nervous before we played out there but I'm not now.

"The more chances we can get playing in these big competitions before London 2012 then the more competitive we will be at the Olympics."

Visa is proud to be Presenting Partner of Team 2012, a team of 1,200 athletes across the UK who are aiming to compete at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For more information go to www.lifeflowsbetter.com