Since its launch in 2018 by Hitit, one of the world’s leading companies in airline and travel technology, the Rackets Up project has brought together local tournament champions from participating provinces for the Türkiye Championship held in Istanbul. As a sustainable social responsibility initiative in sports, Rackets Up aims to promote healthy living and regular exercise habits among children and young people through table tennis. To date, the project has benefited 411 public schools, 430 teachers and over 160,000 children nationwide.
27 May 2025 -İSTANBUL Focusing on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of good health and well-being, reducing inequalities, and quality education, the Rackets Up project hosted its comprehensive tournament program in Istanbul. In collaboration with the Turkish Table Tennis Federation (TMTF), local tournaments were first held among participating schools. Winners of these local competitions competed for the Türkiye Championship titles in the Mini Cadet; Cadet, and Junior categories. Students arriving from Anatolia also enjoyed a two-day tour and activity program in Istanbul, creating lasting memories.
The Rackets Up Türkiye Championship took place on 23 May 2025 at Tozkoparan Sports Hall, attended by Hitit executives and employees, TMTF officials, local authorities, students, and teachers. Reflecting the 2025 theme of the World Table Tennis Federation, “Diversity and Inclusion,” the project recognized male and female winners separately in each category.
Tournament Champions:
• Mini Cadet Girls: Melike Özdemir
• Mini Cadet Boys: Berat Ökten
• Cadet Girls: İrem Dalkılıç
• Cadet Boys: Muhammed Özalp
• Junior Girls: Ümmügülsüm Yıldız
• Junior Boys: Cihat Yazıcı
At the conclusion of the championship, the award ceremony celebrated friendship and competition alike, with trophies and educational support prizes presented to the winners.
A Sustainable Social Responsibility Project in Sports
Rackets Up stands out as Türkiye’s first sustainable table tennis project, providing equipment and professional coaching since 2018 to children interested in the sport or eager to try a new discipline. The project, implemented in collaboration with TMTF in the provinces of Çorum; Isparta; Trabzon; Şanlıurfa; Sakarya; Kahramanmaraş; Malatya, and Kırşehir – aims to instil healthy lifestyle habits and regular exercise among children and young people through table tennis accordingly. The project identifies schools in need within each province and supplies table tennis equipment. Volunteer physical education teachers receive professional coaching certification from TMTF and then lead student training. Rackets Up’s key goals include expanding table tennis nationwide; promoting healthy living; preventing harmful habits and discovering and supporting young talents who can represent Türkiye internationally.
To date, over 160,000 children from 411 schools have received professional table tennis training through the project.
Ms. Nevra Onursal Karaağaç, CEO of Hitit, commented: “As Hitit, while contributing to our country’s global competitiveness by exporting airline and travel technologies across six continents, generating social value is also a top priority. Rackets Up, born from our sustainability and social responsibility approach and continuing for seven years, is a source of pride for us. We are delighted to welcome children; young people; teachers, and coaches from the provinces where we implemented the project to the Rackets Up Türkiye Championship here in Istanbul. Although the tournament is competitive by nature, we believe the greatest achievement is children developing healthy sports habits through table tennis and the friendship fostered by the project. Together with our valued partner, the Turkish Table Tennis Federation, we will continue bringing table tennis to children across Türkiye.”
Mr. Kerim Koç, President of TMTF, said: “We are very proud to see how far the Rackets Up project, which we started in 2018, has come. We have had the opportunity to introduce table tennis to children in many provinces. We look forward to continuing our work with Hitit in different cities and – possibly – abroad. We thank them again for their contributions to table tennis.”