Veteran Trio Represent Rocky at State Champs

Three of Rockhampton’s keener veteran table tennis players are currently taking part in the Queensland Veterans Championships. Monica Deeth, James O’Sullivan and Dave Hockings are playing in both team and individual events at this annual tournament that is being staged at the South Pine Sports Centre at Brendale. The very well attended carnival hit-off yesterday morning and will wind up on Saturday afternoon following the action-packed finals program for the individual events for various age groups between over-30 through to over-80. Rocky’s leading official, Joe Clifton, will also be in attendance as the Tournament Referee.   

O’Sullivan and Hockings will join forces in a Rocky team in the very busy over-60 men’s inter-club team competition while Deeth has formed part of a composite outfit as there were not any other locals available for the trip. All three will contest singles and doubles individual events across the over-60 and over-50 sections with O’Sullivan and Deeth joining forces to hopefully obtain some exciting outcomes in the mixed-pairs in both age groupings. O’Sullivan and Hockings will be out to make an impression in the men’s doubles of the upper section.  

On the weekend Cooper Bulow finished his assignment for the state at the Australian Senior, Youth and Para Championships at Goulburn, NSW. Bulow got a cap in the state’s under-21 men’s team and he also played in individual events. Whilst he didn’t return home with any medals, he competed very well against quality opposition from across the nation and will benefit greatly from the experience. For a late starter in the sport, he has progressed very well and at his first nationals some of his opponents would have been representing their respective home-states since the under-11 division.

With a new season of fixtures commencing this week in open grade at the city’s headquarters for the sport the participants, as well as eligible players from other sessions, will be looking forward to the city’s annual closed championships that will be played during August with details currently being finalised.

Tournaments that locals can attend over the next little while include both the Gold Coast and Toowoomba Opens during August and the Cairns Open in September. At a higher level, one event that could prove quite popular with seniors is the Queensland Veteran Open Teams Championships that are being held at Bundaberg over the first weekend in September.

Regulars are keen to take part in the newly formed annual competition against the Mackay Association. The first instalment of this particular fixture, which will include team matches and doubles tournament will commence at lunch time on Saturday 08 August at the local playing centre. Entry details are available at the club.

In another inter-club team’s competition that has been played on an annual basis for in excess of five decades Rocky players have the task of travelling to Bundaberg to contest this year’s instalment of the Bulls versus Bears Shield and this year’s version is being staged on Saturday 14 November.