The road to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games will bring some of the world's top athletes to Fort Worth this week.
Organizers say the six-day wrestling and table tennis event is expected to draw more than 1,500 competitors from around the world to the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The 2019 Seamaster U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships is returning to the city for the first time in decades thanks to a strong program at Texas Wesleyan University and the growth of several local clubs.
It's a growth in popularity mirrors a national trend.
Former Olympian and former Paralympic coach Sean O'Neill said it's a huge change since he got involved with the sport at just 10 years old.
"I’ve just seen more kids get involved, more families, more professionals. There’s a lot more content," O'Neill said. "In the past, you’d have to call up the AP to get the results. Now you can watch it live on stream on Youtube."
Table tennis will be followed by the Senior Nationals -- the national championships for Olympic-style wrestling.
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The wrestling competitions will showcase three Olympic events: men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman. Organizers say the competition is a critical stop for men and women wrestlers competing for a spot on Team USA Wrestling.
The Tour of America: Stockyard Stampede USA Wrestling youth competition runs Dec. 21-22.
Tickets are $10 per day and can be purchased at the door. Children 5 years old and under are free. Combo ticketing is being offered Friday and Saturday, giving access to both events for the price of one.
USA Table Tennis
Tuesday, Dec. 17 - Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019
Tue-Thurs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
USA Wrestling
Friday, Dec. 20 - Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019
Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
