Local Trio Make Big Impression on National Stage

Two of the current leading ladies of Rockhampton Table Tennis did the city proud, as well as their club, at the annual Australian Veteran’s Championships at the South Pine Sports Centre at Moreton Bay last week. 

Newly minted vet Kelsey Pettett qualified for the Over-30 section this year and represented her state with distinction at what is hoped to be her first Aus-Vets of many more in the years ahead. Pettett played plenty of matches in the team event for this age-group and came away win a 93% winning average to assist her team to winning the gold medal. Her team captain Ha Bui, who took up coaching duties at the Bundaberg Club around one year ago, was undefeated in the team event and this pair spear-headed this result.

At the other end of the scale Pam Clarke, who was attending a tournament that she has participated in on a number of occasions in many parts of the nation, played exceptionally well to steer her team to the bronze medal in the Over-70 team division. She also picked up another bronze medal in the women’s doubles in this age-group where she partnered one of her team-mates Judy Chin of the Sunshine Coast Club.

Pettett just didn’t play some good quality table tennis in the team section as she partnered with Ha Bui to be awarded the silver medal in the women’s doubles in the Over-30 competition after they went down in the final to the favourites Liu and Zhou from Victoria.

At the conclusion of this carnival Pettett was ranked number four in the nation in the Over-30 women’s division while Clarke was rated the fourth best Over-70 women’s player in Australia. Bundy’s Ha Bui, who local table tennis players will no doubt see a lot of at the upcoming annual inter-city clash on 8^th November at Rocky’s Leichhardt Park courts was rated the second-best player in the nation at Over-30 level. 

The city’s leading players are being sought out to make themselves available for this year’s contest against the Bundaberg club which is shaping up as being a competitive encounter between these two Associations that have been engaging in competitions annually for well in excess of the past fifty years.  Players available to take part in this year’s competition should nominate at the playing centre prior to 06 November so the city’s teams can be selected.              

Record entries have been received for the Queensland Schools Championship’s regional play-offs at Rocky this Friday. Played across three sections based on age students from the local Heights College, Rockhampton State High School, Rockhampton Grammar School and Gladstone’s Faith Baptist Christian College and Gladstone Central State School will be in attendance to take part in a huge program that is currently being organised by the tournament’s coordinators at the Rocky Club.  The winners of each category will contest the state finals at Moreton Bay on Friday November 28.