Table tennis showdown rallies

DESPITE the odds, the organisers of the Bendigo & District Table Tennis Association’s 2021 Junior/Senior Open are determined to get the annual tournament across the line on the weekend of Saturday, 21 and Sunday, 22 August.

Association president Gary Warnest said, “It’s all go at this stage.”

“We had to cancel our tournament last year, so this is one that we’ve really wanted to do.

“We’ve actually had some more entries coming in as a result of two other tournaments being postponed, Yarrawonga and Shepparton,” he said.

With extra demand for entries coming because the Bendigo competition is part of the state circuit, Mr Warnest said many players are keen to work towards selection for the Victorian team by competing.

“Players accrue state ranking points for their particular age group, and that goes into whether or not they get selected,” he said.

“That’s why when some of the other tournaments have been postponed, people have jumped onto Bendigo because they want to come and earn those points.”

Bendigo’s Table Tennis Complex on Victoria Street, Eaglehawk is primed to welcome all and sundry after an impressive recent renovation.

“We’ve upgraded the whole stadium,” Mr Warnest said.

“All the lighting has been upgraded to LED, and the council has come in and replaced the toilets. There’s new chairs, all new carpets, and everything’s been repainted.

“So we’ve got the stadium looking really schmick.

“We’ll be planning on going ahead right up until the last minute, but it can still get knocked on the head.

“We’re not going to preempt anything like that, at this stage, and we’ll be as positive about it as we possibly can.”

Further information visit tabletennisvic.org.au/events/80171.