Rockhampton Players Build Momentum Toward Busy Tournament Season

Rockhampton’s table tennis community has made the most of the short Easter break, blending development, competition and preparation as the state tournament season begins to gather pace.

At the Leichhardt Park playing centre, some of the Rockhampton Table Tennis Association’s improving juniors marked International Table Tennis Day in a slightly different way last Thursday, with a session designed to put their training into practice.

Rather than the usual format of extended coaching followed by match play, the advanced group took part in a “Top Table” competition. Players battled through rounds to earn the right to challenge one of the city’s leading Under-19 players, Cooper Bulow, on the top table.

The format proved a hit, with fellow Under-19 player Tom Tonkin also rotating through matches. Tonkin, whose game is still developing, managed to reach the top table on several occasions, giving players such as Peter Kininmonth, Jackson Boon, Westyn Finch, Aviv Bhat, Ben Gifford and Rishi Rooprieddy valuable opportunities to test themselves in a competitive setting.

Relative newcomers Ranu Werasinghe and Hugh Hudson also impressed, adapting well to the intensity of match play. Sessions like these continue to play an important role in helping young players learn how to construct points and handle pressure in real-game scenarios.

While the juniors continue to develop locally, attention is now turning to a busy stretch of tournaments that will shape Queensland representation later in the year.

The state’s table tennis calendar is now in full swing, with the next major events taking place over consecutive weekends in North Queensland. The combined North Queensland Open Championships and Townsville Open titles will be held over the May Day long weekend from 2–5 May, featuring senior, junior and para events, along with a points system contributing towards state selection.

A number of Rockhampton players are expected to make the trip north, including Warun Wilkinson, who will compete in both Townsville and Mackay, embracing the opportunity to gain match experience while travelling between events.

The following weekend, from 8–10 May, players will head to Mackay for that club’s annual Open tournament, which also doubles as the North Queensland Veterans titles. This event provides an additional pathway for veteran players to earn points towards selection for the Australian Veterans Championships later in the year.

These back-to-back carnivals will be closely followed by the Brisbane Open from 15–17 May, held at the sport’s largest permanent venue at Downey Park in Windsor. Together, these tournaments form a crucial part of the selection process, with the state panel using results across this period to help shape Queensland teams for national championships in the second half of the year.

For Rockhampton players, the experience gained on the road will be invaluable as they build towards their own major event — the Rockhampton Open Championships on 20–21 June.

With major sponsors Chauvel Industrial Services and Bolsover Radiology again supporting the event, the Rockhampton Open remains a key fixture on the regional calendar and an important opportunity for local players to test themselves against visiting competitors.

In the meantime, players of all levels continue to take advantage of the training and competition opportunities available at Leichhardt Park, ensuring they are well prepared for the challenges of a demanding and exciting tournament season ahead.