Whiz Kid: Claire Xiao

Claire Xiao is a current Murray Avenue student who displays an extradordinary talent.

While most kids are playing kick ball and climbing on the jungle gym at recess, Claire is furiously smashing ping pong balls back at her opponents. Most recently, she collected the silver medal at the 2010 Table Tennis National Championship Competition, the highest-level table tennis competition in US, which includes several 2008 Olympians.

"It was in Las Vegas last year in December," Claire said, who moved to Huntingdon Valley from Indiana in the 4th grade. "It was Nationals. It was the cadet under-13. In the finals I played Diana Jiong. She's from California. In my first tournament I played her, so it was weird to play her again."

To see Claire's profile on the official Team USA Table Tennis page, click here.

See her and the rest of the U.S. National teams here.

Also a 2010 Nationals Junior team semi-finalist, Claire hopes to play in team competitions in Baltimore later this year.

"I'm preparing for the next Nationals and want to get on the next cadet team," she said.

So what got her into the sport in the first place?

"I don't really remember it, but my dad says that when my brothers starting playing I kind of got interested," Claire said.

Claire is a very dedicated athlete who will continue to improve because of her dedication.

"Playing against opponents, it's really fast and that's exciting to me," said Claire, whose favorite part about the sport is the competition. "I practice almost every single day and I have two tables at my house."