Kenton table tennis coach Hussein Juma, 71, was named Most Inspiring and Active Senior Sportsperson, Over 70, at the WF50 Sports Awards in Harefield.
Hussein Juma, a 71-year-old Kenton resident who coaches table tennis for free across Harrow, has been named Most Inspiring and Active Senior Sportsperson, Over 70, at The World Federation’s 50th Anniversary Sports Awards.
He received the award on Sunday 18 October at the ceremony in Harefield. He had been shortlisted in three categories: Most Inspiring Coach, Lifetime Sporting Achievements, and the over-70 award he went on to win.
“The nominations for the awards were open to members of a worldwide community of approximately 140,000 people,” he told Harrow Today. “I was selected from three shortlisted finalists, including a former professional footballer who captained and coached India’s national team.”
Sixty years on court
Mr Juma was born in Uganda and arrived in Wembley at 15, going to Preston Manor High School. He is a consultant solicitor with the Harrow firm Vyman Solicitors. He describes himself as “a lifelong competitive tennis and table tennis player, and a qualified Table coach providing voluntary free coaching to members of our mosque (Hujjat Stanmore) and players at Kenton Table Tennis Club who are mostly residents of Kenton, Harrow and bordering areas.”
“My sporting career spans over 60 years, including 56 championship titles at Wembley Lawn Tennis Club,” he said. “I continue to compete at Kenton Sports Club in tennis and table tennis and coach table tennis to young players in Harrow and North-West London. More than 75 players I have coached (juniors and adults) now participate in the Wembley and Harrow Table Tennis League.”
His profile in the awards’ commemorative book fills in the record. It says he was born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1955 and moved to London in 1971. He won Uganda’s Under-15 doubles title in 1969 and was runner-up in the singles, and in 1971 he won the under-18 singles and doubles titles. At the London School of Economics, from 1975 to 1978, he played for the first teams in tennis, table tennis and badminton and won all three table tennis titles in the internal championships.
3 photos, swipe or scroll. Photos: supplied by Hussein Juma
The book says his 56 club titles at Wembley Lawn Tennis Club came between 1972 and 2008, and that he became the club’s youngest-ever singles champion at 17. He later won six veterans’ titles at Kenton Lawn Tennis Club.
Coaching in Kenton and Stanmore
According to the profile, he coaches at Stanmore Jafferys at their club in Harefield, Kenton Table Tennis Club and Oswal Table Tennis Club, working with players aged from 8 to 78. At Kenton, the biggest club in the league, he leads coaching for a club with 12 teams. At Stanmore Jafferys he has helped support a community programme, coaching juniors every Saturday, with players now spread across the league’s eight divisions.
He has helped coordinate the MAMT tennis competition since 1996 and has been lead table tennis coordinator for the SJRS racket-sports festivals since 2019, the book says.
He qualified as an ETTA Level 1 Table Tennis Coach in 2023, at 68, which the profile says reportedly made him the oldest person to qualify. It lists a Stanmore Jafferys community recognition award in 2020, a finalist place in the Harrow Heroes Awards in 2022, and Table Tennis England’s London Coach of the Year award in 2025, followed by a place on a national coaching shortlist of three.
The profile describes him as “still active and coaching several days each week”.
Why he wanted to share his story
“Sport has been a central part of my life for over sixty years,” Mr Juma said. “I wish to thank the WF and all the jurors for staging this first ever sports recognition award. Winning this international award at 71 is a tremendous honour, but what gives me the greatest satisfaction today is helping young people develop their skills, confidence and character through sport. I hope my journey encourages people of all ages to remain active and enjoy the lifelong benefits of sport.”
What his players said
Mr Juma shared a selection of the messages he has received from players and club members since the award:
“Amazing Hussein but not at all surprised. You give and give and then you give everyone just that bit more. Truly deserving.”
“Congratulations on this achievement Hussein. Oshwal and the other clubs are lucky to have you. You’ve helped Oshwal immensely on the coaching, as well as being there outside of a coaching capacity. Long may it continue!”
“Huge congratulations. Truly deserved to our very own guru/coach/mentor Hussein uncle.”
“Many many congratulations Hussein bhai. Another feather in your cap of an illustrious career in Table Tennis and contributions to the young and old alike, spanning decades of selfless commitment and dedication. Bravo!”
“Selfless Coach Hussein has done it again! A big thank you to him and his team of dedicated volunteers.”
“Hi Sir, wish you hearty congratulations on your achievement. As a team and club members we all are very proud of you sir.”
“Another fine achievement Hussein, well done. We are very lucky to have you as a member of this club.”
“A huge congratulations to you on your much deserved award. Your passion, selfless dedication and hard work has had a huge impact on our community, especially in Table Tennis. The results are for everyone to see, the way our youngsters are blooming. Thank you for being you. God bless you always.”
“Congratulations on your award. It was good that you were recognised. Well done, although I felt that if only the world knew your story then they would be inspired.”
What it means for you
If you want to take up table tennis in Harrow, at any age, the clubs Mr Juma coaches at are Kenton Table Tennis Club, Stanmore Jafferys and Oswal Table Tennis Club, and the local competition he mentions is the Wembley and Harrow Table Tennis League. Harrow’s own community award winners from this year are listed in our Harrow’s Heroes 2026 winners story.
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