Kiwi V Aussie Rivalry At Oceania Championships

The 2010 KVB Kunlun ITTF Oceania table tennis championships get underway tomorrow (Thursday) in Auckland with Commonwealth Games places up for grabs and plenty of tans-Tasman rivalry as well. It is the 15th time the Oceania event has been held and with close to 200 individual entrants. The top New Zealand hope in the Open events is Karen Li from North Harbour. Li a Commonwealth Games silver medalist in 2002 won the 2008 Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament and has a current world ranking of 157. However Li wil face tough competition from the current Oceania champion, Miao Miao from Australia.

In the men’s section, Australian William Henzell was a medalist in the sport at the Commonwealth Games in 2008 in Melbourne. He is the top seed followed by four more Australians. With regular Kiwi No1, Shane Laugesen absent, the mantle of top Kiwi falls on John Cordue, the Aucklander who represents Canterbury. He will be the sixth seed followed by Philip Xiao from Auckland and Ryan Zhu, also from Auckland

Meanwhile in the age group competition the under18 boys side beat Australia to win the teams event 3-1 in the final. The team of Kevin Wu, Lingnan Kong, and Thom Nguyen were too strong when it counted, although Wu was defeated by Heming Hu in the first match but came back to win his second contest against Jesse Bricknell.

The New Zealand 18’s girls side was beaten in their final 0-3 by Australia.

2010 KVB Kunlun ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) Oceania Championships.

Auckland Table Tennis Association Headquarters, Gillies Ave, Epsom.

Under 18 Teams final:

New Zealand 3 Australia 1

(New Zealand results first)

Kevin Wu lt Heming Hu 0-3, Lingnan Kong bt Jesse Bricknell 3-0, Thom Nguyen bt Dillon Cathcart 3-0, Wu bt Bricknell 3-1.

Bronze playoff.

New Caledonia 3 Tahiti 2

Under 18 Girls

New Zealand 0 Australia 3

(New Zealand results first)

Julia Wu lt Anna Du 0-3, Jennifer Tseng lt Lily Phan 0-3, Natalie Paterson lt Bui Vy-Tuong 0-3.

Bronze playoff:

Tahiti 3 Cook Islands 2

Tournament Schedule:

Thursday 15 April:

8.30am – 5pm, Age group individual events

5.15pm - 10pm, Open individual events

Friday 16 April:

8.30am – 6pm, Age group individual events

6.15pm - 10pm, Open individual events

8.30am – 6pm,

Saturday 17 April:

8.30am-12.30pm, U21 and U15 semifinals and finals

1.15pm – 5pm, U18 and U12 semifinals and finals

6pm – 10pm Open individuals, all quarterfinals

Sunday 18 April:

8.30am – 2pm, Open semis and finals

2.30pm Closing ceremony