For the first time, three schools from this region will participate in the state finals of the annual Queensland Schools Table Tennis Championships. The event will be held this Friday at the Brisbane Table Tennis Association’s purpose-built complex at Downey Park, Windsor.
Following the Capricornia region’s inter-school event, hosted by the Rockhampton Table Tennis Association in mid-October, qualifying schools were invited to compete in what promises to be a well-attended tournament. This year’s event has drawn an impressive entry list, with just under 30 schools across various divisions. Most participants can expect a full day of matches as they showcase their skills on the state stage. While no schools north of Rockhampton will attend, the competition includes teams from Brisbane, Ipswich, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast.
Representing the local area are students from Heights College, Rockhampton High School, and Gladstone’s Faith Baptist Christian School. These teams are set to gain valuable experience in what will undoubtedly be a packed and exciting day of table tennis. This year marks the strongest representation from the region in the long history of the tournament.
In the under-12 division, Isaiah Noonan and Nate Wilson will represent Gladstone’s Faith Baptist Christian School after finishing as runners-up in the Rocky play-offs. They were narrowly defeated by Jonah Rees and Elliott Bailey from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, who are unable to attend the state finals.
Faith Baptist’s junior girls’ teams will also be strong contenders. Ryza Salutan and Emily Sauvageot aim to continue their dominant form at the regional level, while their schoolmates Scarlett Schluter and Ava Maree will look to replicate their medal-winning performance from the Rocky competition.
Heights College will be represented in the junior male division by Van Ly and Jan Romualdo, who are eager to improve on the silver medal they earned in the regional play-offs. They will face tough competition, including Levi Galea and Eli Noonan from Faith Baptist, who hope to secure another gold after their strong showing at the Rocky event. This division promises to be fiercely contested, with several players from the southeast of the state boasting state-level experience.
In the under-18 category, Rockhampton High School’s team of brothers Cooper and Jackson Bulow will seek to better their silver-medal performance at the regional tournament. In that event, they narrowly lost to Heights College’s Judd Carr and Levi Sarin, who are unable to attend the state finals.
The state finals will feature a blend of club and state representatives scattered across the various divisions. Players from the local area will have the opportunity to witness and compete against some of the most talented young athletes in Queensland, including potential future champions of the sport. The experience gained from competing at this level will undoubtedly inspire and enhance the skills of all involved.
With such strong representation from the region and a day full of high-quality matches ahead, Friday’s event is set to be an unforgettable milestone for local table tennis.