Three young table tennis athletes will benefit from a big learning experience as part of the Team England Futures programme at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

Although table tennis is not included in this edition of the Games, which start on 23 July, Ella Pashley, Max Radiven and Isaac Kingham will still get to be part of them.

The Team England Futures programme will offer a range of immersive experiences for participants during Glasgow 2026, including access to Games-time environments. They will meet mentors, ambassadors and fellow athletes from a range of different sports, creating opportunities to build networks and connect to peers from other sports.

The programme will give athletes, coaches and support staff an invaluable insight into the challenges and expectations of multi-sport events, with the view of aiding preparations for future major events including Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The programme is funded by Sport England and Commonwealth Games England and will be delivered by SportsAid. It follows the success of the inaugural programme for Birmingham 2022.

Participating athletes and coaches have been nominated by their National Governing Body to take part, having been identified as having future multi-sport Games potential.

More than 100 athletes, coaches and support staff will join this year’s cohort.

All three of the table tennis athletes selected will travel to Glasgow after competing at the European Youth Championships earlier in July.

Max Radiven said of his selection: “I feel honoured to have been selected to take part in the Commonwealth Games experience. This will be an amazing opportunity to see what’s involved in a major multi-sport international event.

“I’m looking forward to learning from the experience, meeting other elite athletes from different sports and seeing how they prepare and perform at the highest level. 

“Hopefully it will help me develop both on and off the table as I continue working towards my long-term goal of representing England at senior international level.”

Tim Lawler, Chief Executive at SportsAid, said: “Team England Futures is a special and potentially transformative experience for everyone who has the opportunity to be involved.

“The programme is an immersive, inspirational and instructive blend to help an emerging cohort of athletes and coaches be ready for when their Games moment comes.

“Everyone at SportsAid is both proud and excited to be working alongside Commonwealth Games England and Sport England again to lead the programme for 2026.”

Commonwealth Games England CEO Mark Osikoya said: “The launch of Team England Futures marks another exciting milestone on the road to Glasgow 2026.

“The innovative programme offers an invaluable insight for our stars of the future, and the benefit will be felt well beyond Team England.

“The programme only further underlines the vital role Commonwealth Games England, and the broader Commonwealth Sport movement, play within the wider sporting ecosystem in the UK.”