2021 TTA TOUR SYDNEY - TWO BROTHERS FOUR MEDALS

The 2021 TTA Tour Sydney was held from 29 to 30 May 2021 at Sydney Olympic Park where NSW junior players Won Bae and Hwan Bae won four medals.

Hwan Bae won Under 21 Men's Singles Gold Medal and Under 19 Boys Singles Gold Medal. Won Bae won Under 17 Boys Singles Gold Medal and Under 19 Boys Singles Bronze Medal. It is an incredible result for these two brothers: Hwan Bae and Won Bae, but this is not their only achievements  in 2021.

On 17 December 2021, Table Tennis Australia (TTA) and the National Selection Panel released the 2021 National Rankings for Senior, Youth and Junior.

Five NSW Junior players finished 2021 ranked number 1 in each age group, but 13 year old Won Bae achieved 2021 National Ranking number 1 in two age groups: Under 15 Boys' No 1 and Under 13 Boys' No 1. It is a huge achievement! 

On 30 November 2021, TTA and the National Selection Panel announced that Won has been selected into the 2022 National Squad as an emerging player, and Hwan has been selected into the 2022 National Squad as a national junior player.

On the 2021 National Rankings for Senior, Youth and Junior, Hwan Bae is ranked as top players in four age groups: Under 17 Boys' No 3, Under 19 Boys' No 3, Under 21 Boys' No 5, and Senior Men’s No 4.

On 20 May 2021, Commonwealth Games NSW (CGNSW) announced the 2021 recipients of the CGNSW Athlete Grant Program. Hwan Bae has been accepted as the recipient of the CGNSW Athlete Grant of $1000 for 2021.

On 12 June 2021, the presentation ceremony was held at Sydney Olympic Park along with TTNSW State Junior Team Training. On behalf of the CGNSW Board, CGNSW CEO Peter Tate presented the cheque to Hwan.

CGNSW CEO Peter Tate said “These young athletes have demonstrated tremendous ability in their respective sport pathways. I have no doubt many will be chosen to represent Australia in future Commonwealth Games.”

Peter continued “The athletes were nominated by a sport on the program at either the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham (England) or the 2022 Commonwealth Championships scheduled to be held in Chandigarh (India).“

In the end, Peter said “I am so exciting to see some junior players coming from Wollongong and Canberra to Sydney for training. I trust that TTNSW and TTA will have a brilliant future.”

CGNSW President Michael O’Mara said “This is the fourth edition of the CGNSW Athlete Grants which first commenced in 2016. There are now 89 recipients over that period of time. Nominating criteria requires each athlete to be a resident of NSW and under 20 years old. The grants are awarded every second year.”

TTNSW Director and State Junior Team Manager, Leonie Whiteford said “Congratulations to Hwan Bae. He epitomizes all the remarkable qualities including determination, humility, fair play and energetic country spirit”.

TTNSW Vice President, Ted Davis said:” TTNSW thanks the CGNSW Athlete Grant, first awarded in 2016 for providing financial assistance for young ‘up and coming’ NSW athletes. TTNSW will work harder and closer with TTA and CGNSW to support and develop more athletes from the grassroots level to the elite level to represent Australia in international competitions such as Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games in the future.”

Hwan Bae thanks CGNSW, TTNSW and TTA for their strong supports. Hwan said that he not only wants to represent Australia to play in Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, but he also wants to be Olympic Champion in the future.

David Lee and Michael Li wish to gratefully acknowledge Table Tennis NSW, Table Tennis Australia, and Commonwealth Games NSW.