National Table Tennis Action At Stadium Southland

Invercargill is hosting the New Zealand Table Tennis Championships over the next week for the first time in 21 years.

The eight-day event kicks off tomorrow morning at ILT Stadium Southland with an opening ceremony at 8:30am, bringing 268 individuals and 91 teams of three players south.

Southland Table Tennis chairman Richard Cavanagh said Invercargill has hosted the nationals three times before, and there was a strong turnout of local players as well – almost 30 will be involved.

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Invercargill teenager Keegan Jackson (17) will be one of those, and he’s also just been named in a New Zealand team for the first time to compete in the Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships in Honiara, Solomon Islands, in November.

In early 2020 Keegan when he underwent a 14-hour surgery because of the debilitating pain and issues he faced with his congenital scoliosis, which affects his spine.

Players will also be coming from New Caledonia, the Cook Islands and the USA, playing amongst New Zealand’s best.

“It’s huge.  There is some very high rated players,” Richard said.

The event starts with the juniors this weekend, followed by seniors mid-week, and concluding with the New Zealand men’s and women’s open singles from Friday to Sunday next week.

Auckland’s Teng Teng Liu will be attempting to equal Barry Griffiths’ record of eight New Zealand open men’s singles titles.