Angelita Rosal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Angelita Rosal
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| Born | 1956 (age 68–69) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professional table tennis athlete |
| Years active | 1967–1982 |
| Organization | United States Table Tennis Association |
| Spouse(s) | Tom Sistruck (married 1977) Stellan Bengtsson (married 1985) |
| Children | Suco Li, Chris, Sam |
| Parent(s) | Monico and Kathryn Rosal |
Angelita Rosal, also known as Angie Rosal Bengtsson, was born in 1956. She is an American former professional table tennis player and coach. Her mother was from the Spirit Lake Tribe (Dakota people), and her father was Filipino.
Angelita Rosal is very special because she is in two famous "Halls of Fame." These are the Indian Athletic Hall of Fame and the United States of America Table Tennis Hall of Fame. She was the first woman ever to receive both of these honors! She was especially good at playing doubles in table tennis, winning four big US titles.
Her Amazing Table Tennis Career
Angelita Rosal started playing table tennis when she was only nine or ten years old. She went to her first special training camp for future Olympic athletes in 1967, when she was just eleven. Right away, everyone could see she was a fantastic player.
In 1968, she won the national championship for players under thirteen. The very next year, she won the championship for players under fifteen. Angelita kept winning and competed in ten USA Table Tennis National titles during her career. She was super successful in doubles games. She won the U.S. National Table Tennis Champions title three times with her partner He-ja Lee (in 1978, 1979, and 1980). She also won it once with Jin Na in 1982.
Special Awards and Honors
Angelita Rosal has received some very important recognitions for her achievements.
- 1973: She was the first woman chosen for the Indian Athletic Hall of Fame. This is a special place that honors great Native American athletes.
- 1996: She was added to the United States of America Table Tennis Hall of Fame. This means she is recognized as one of the best table tennis players in U.S. history.
About Her Life
Angelita Rosal was one of seven children. Her father was Filipino, and her mother was from the Sioux people. Two of her brothers and sisters, Chris and Monica, were also good at table tennis.
Her family lived on the Fort Totten, North Dakota reservation. But they moved to San Diego before she turned eleven. In 1975, while she was traveling in Kolkata, India, she got very sick. She later married Tom Sistruck and had her first child, Suco Li, in 1977. In 1985, she married Stellan Bengtsson. They have twin sons named Chris and Sam. Angelita also has two grandchildren, Miles and Monico.
