Wellington won 10 gold medals achieved in the Open (1), Grades (1), Juniors (3), and Veterans (5). In the Open events Wellington had success in the Mixed Doubles where Sean Hanson and Fiona Zhai Ye beat Yuhan Gao (North Shore)/Hui-Ling Vong 3-0 (12-10 11-7 11-5). This was the Wellington area’s first victory in the Open Mixed Doubles since Shane Laugeson (A) and Tracey McLauchlan (HV) won in 2001. Hui-Ling Vong was runner up in the Women Singles to Jin (Kim) Wang (Auckland) 4-2 (11-13 11-3 11-7 13-15 11-4 11-5. Vong had defeated fellow Wellington player Fiona Zhai Ye in the semi finals 4-3 (12-14 11-7 11-6 11-7 9-11 10-12 13-11). In the Men’s Doubles Sean Hanson/Dinyar Irani (A) were runner up to Kelsey Amor/Victor Pollett (WT). In the Women Doubles Fiona Zhai Ye/ Lisa Yue were runner up to Jin (Kim) Wang/Tianyu Zhang (A) who won 3-0 (12-10 11-7 11-5).
In the B Grade Men’s Singles James Harter was runner up to Mark Page (WK) who won 3-1. Together they won the B Grade Men’s Doubles against Depak Patel/Yang Low 3-0 (11-5 11-4 11-8). Yang Low won a bronze medal in the B Grade Singles, losing in the semi finals to James Harter 3-1 (11-9 11-9 5-11 11-8). Darrell Brown had upset Yang Low in B Grade Group play 3-0 (13-11 11-9 11-9). Martin Young won a bronze medal for reaching the semi finals of the C Grade Men’s Singles, losing to Jimmy Caunter 3-0 (11-7 11-9 11-4). In the Women C Grade Doubles Anna Wilson/Erin Huang were runner up to Emily Jin/Minette Whitehead (WK) 3-0 (11-7 11-9 11-9).
In the Juniors, Hui-Ling Vong won the Under 18 Girl’s Singles defeating Zhiying Cheng (NS) 3-0 (11-5 11-8 12-10). This is the first Wellington victory in the U18 Girls Singles since Michelle McCarthy won in 2005. In the Under 15 Girls’s Doubles Mei Mun Teh with Vanessa Wood-Lin (ML) won the round robin (3 pairs) with the crucial match against Emily Jin / Minette Whitehead (WK) won 3-2 (10-12 11-4 11-7 8-11 12-10).
Aaron Lan won the Under 11 Singles (round robin of 3) upsetting Yufeng Wang in the crucial match 3-0 (13-11 11-9 11-7). Yufeng Wang was runner up in the Under 13 Boys Singles to Alex Liu Cao who won 3-1 (8-11 11-4 11-3 11-5) and in the Under 13 Combined Doubles with Tomos Christie.
Depak Patel won the Over 40 men’s Singles against Miko Kirschbaum (MN) 3-2 (7-11 10-12 11-6 11-5 11-5). This was his third win as he had previously won in 2006 and 2009. Martin Young won the Over 60 Combined Singles for the first time by beating Dave Scott (BP) in the last round 3-1 (8-11 11-5 12-10 14-12). Both made 4 wins and a loss. As Martin had beaten Dave he won the gold. Martin’s only loss was to Malcolm Wong who won 3-1 (14-12 11-6 9-11 11-8).
Bryan McConnochie won the Over 65 Combined Singles (Round Robin) by defeating Dave Scott (BP) 3-2 (15-13 5-11 10-12 11-4 11-9). This was his third win as he had previously won in 2015 and 2016. Bryan also won the Over 70 Combined Singles for the first time by defeating Jim Jarmin (MN) 3-0 (11-6 11-4 11-5).
In the Over 30 Men’s Doubles Harry Chen/Martin Young were runner up to Andrew Leonard (WK)/ Tim Seaholme (MN) 3-2 (12-10 3-11 11-6 6-11 11-5). The Over 40 Men’s Doubles Final was won by David Jarvis (BP)/ Paul Kyle (WK) who beat Darrell Brown/Depak Patel 3-2 (9-11 11-8 5-11 13-11 11-5). The Over 50 Men’s Doubles was won by Harry Chen with Paul Whitehead (WK) who won against David Jarvis (BP)/Paul Kyle (WK) 3-0 (11-5 11-5 11-8). The Over 60 Men’s Doubles was won by Russell Winkley (HB)/ Dave Scott (BP) who defeated Malcolm Wong/Martin Young 3-0 (11-4 12-10 11-2).
Martin Young won the Over 60 Singles, runner up in the Over 30 and Over 60 Men’s Doubles and a bronze in the C Grade Men’s Singles.
Harry Chen won Over 50 Men’s Doubles and was runner up in the Over 30 men’s Doubles.
Malcolm Wong was runner up in the Over 60 Men’s Doubles.
– Malcolm Wong
Table Tennis Wellington 