MICHELLE BROMLEY’S INSPIRING STORY OF RESILIENCE

FROM A TIN SHED IN GULGONG TO THE OLYMPIC STADIUM IN TOKYO – MICHELLE BROMLEY’S INSPIRING STORY OF RESILIENCE IN HER QUEST TO BECOME AN OLYMPIAN.

Gulgong is a beautiful 19th-century gold rush town in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, located about 300 km northwest of Sydney with a population of 2,521. This former gold mining town still feels like it might have in the 1870s when people came here seeking quick fortunes.

It has been famous for the great Australian writer and bush poet Henry Lawson, who spent his childhood in this gold town, which appeared on the first Australian $10 note. Now, it is famous again for Australian Table Tennis Hero and Tokyo Olympian - Michelle Bromley.

On 28 July 2020, to mark one year to go, the Australian Olympic Committee confirmed the selection of four table tennis players for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Michelle Bromley, who grew up in Gulgong, secured her place on the Australian Table Tennis Team, after her performance at the team selection trials in January 2020, where she won the event.

"It is fantastic to welcome these four athletes to the Australian Olympic team," said Ian Chesterman, Australia's Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission.

"Congratulations not just to the athletes, but their coaches, supporters, families, friends, sporting institutes and table tennis community who helped them achieve this fantastic milestone and continue to support each other on their Olympic journey.

"I also want to thank Table Tennis Australia for its work to grow table tennis and develop athletes from the grassroots level to the elite athletes named to the Olympic team.”

Michelle is excited to be representing Australia against the world’s best in the table tennis competition in Tokyo. But her journey to Tokyo has been far from easy; it took three generations and more than two decades to achieve it after she missed out on securing a place at the past three Olympic Games: Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Her success comes from trying, trying and trying again and never giving up.

“I often get asked why I didn’t just give up, or what kept me going all these years, despite the setbacks. For me, I just never felt like it was my time to quit. I could always feel that I was getting better year on year. I would get selected in teams for World Championships, or have a breakthrough win against a girl who was ranked above me which would keep me motivated to keep pushing. Not to mention, it’s an amazing sport to be part of, and to play at the highest level.”

    An eight-year-old Michelle Bromley training with her late father, David Beaumont.

Table Tennis has been a family sport for Michelle Bromley. Both Michelle’s grandparents competed at a National level even into their 80s, and her parents met at a table tennis club in Sydney. Her family moved to Gulgong from Sydney in 1989 when Michelle was just two years old.

As a six-year-old, Michelle started to hit the ball up against the kitchen wall at her home for hours. One year later, in 1994, Michelle played her first State Primary School Competition where she won her first trophy.

Initially, Michelle played under the guidance of her mother – Glenys Beaumont, with her father more focused on her two older brothers in the sport. She would practice with her mum for short bursts at a time, so that she didn’t get bored with it. Michelle made her first NSW State Team as a ten-year-old, and in the first year of competing at the National Championships, gained a top 5 ranking in the country for U/14 girls. It was then, that Michelle’s Dad saw the potential in her, and took her under his wing. Father and daughter combined for the next 14 years as coach and player at all state and national events.

Michelle won her first National Junior Championships at 13 years old in 2001. In the same year, Michelle was selected to represent Australia internationally in Under 15 Test Match event against Singapore. This kick-started Michelle’s career on the international scene and inspired her to chase her dream of representing Australia at an Olympics and Commonwealth Games and to be the best in the country.

Michelle has been training for more than two decades to achieve her dream of being an Olympian. “The Olympics is the pinnacle of the sport. It’s been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old,” she said

Until 2005, Michelle always trained with her father as her sole training partner each night in their garage at home in Gulgong. Her father drove 4 hours each way with Michelle and her brothers down to Sydney to compete in State Tournaments every few weekends.

Her father was also her warm-up partner and coach at every competition she played, right up until a month before her father passed away from cancer in 2012. But her father’s legacy continued to be a driving force in her career as she chased her Olympic ambitions.

Michelle says her father instilled in her the determination, strength and attitude that has seen her qualify for her first Olympic Games, when she makes her debut at Tokyo 2021.

Michelle juggles her sporting ambitions around a full-time Marketing job at Nestle. This means very long days, with all her trainings being conducted of an evening after work. “To compete at the highest level in sport requires commitment and dedication. It’s quite a selfish path to take, and means you often have to sacrifice catch-ups with friends, and spending time with your partner in pursuit of sporting greatness. I’m lucky I have an extremely supportive partner who has accepted coming second behind my sporting pursuit, and is head chef in the Bromley household, as I often don’t get home until 10.30pm on weeknights.”

Michelle’s Olympic dream combines sweat, hard work and sore muscles. Her routine training includes on-table training involving around 18-20 hours a week of footwork drills, ball placement practice, third-ball attack drills and specific skill training. She also spends 3 to 4 hours on strength and conditioning, with an extra hour a week dedicated to the mental side of the game. It's an exhausting schedule for her with full-time work.

Michelle’s journey to the Olympics has been a long and tough one, but the ‘never give up’ attitude showcased by an athlete who personifies persistence and determination can be traced back once again to the influence of her father.

Michelle said: “While it hasn’t been the shortest of journeys to get to where I am today, I am grateful for the path I have taken, because it has made me the player and the person I am today.”

She continued: “There were definitely some tears when I qualified for the Australian Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Team. The fact that it has been such a long journey for me to get here, has made this achievement that much more special. I have fought hard for my position over the past 22 years, and to have the hard work, persistence and dedication all finally pay-off, it’s the most rewarding feeling in the world.”

Vice President of Table Tennis New South Wales (TTNSW), Ted Davis, congratulated on Michelle’s achievement and said: “I have known Michelle’s father and family for 50 years. TTNSW is so proud of this achievement by her family’s three generations and two decades’ effect. All their hard work, day after day and year after year has actually paid off. Absolutely an amazing dream come true."

Michelle thanks all her family, friends, training partners, coaches, the community of Gulgong, and supporters from across Australia who have followed her sporting career, for their support over the past two decades. “I can’t wait to compete in Tokyo and share this special experience with everyone who has watched my journey – the setbacks, and the triumphs. I hope to play my best table tennis and make everyone proud.”

Michelle is very pleased to see that eight 10 - 11 years old NSW junior players were selected into the 2021 National Hopes Squad by TTA and the National Selection Panel on 10 May 2021. Michelle extends her congratulations to all junior players on their selection for an outstanding display of table tennis from the youngest age group.

For any junior players wanting to follow her footsteps, Michelle provides one piece of advice: “With dedication and persistence, you can achieve great things. Don’t shy away from your dreams if they don’t happen overnight. There is no shortcut to any place worth going.”

President of TTNSW, Tony Aduckiewicz said “I may be a little biased as Michelle’s uncle but TTNSW is proud of the achievement of Michelle and her family after more than two decades’ journey. We are working closely with TTA and all the table tennis community to support and develop more athletes from the grassroots level to the elite level to represent Australia in international competitions such as Olympic Games in the future.”

The journey and achievements of Michelle Bromley are summarised as but not limited to:

Junior Events & Achievements:

• Debut for Australia: Australia V Singapore Test Match in 2001
• World Junior Championships in 2002, 2003, 2004
• Australian No.1 Ranking in 2001, 2003, 2005
• National Junior Girls Singles Champion in 2001 (U14), 2003 (U16)
• National Junior Girls Doubles Champion in 2000 (U14), 2002 & 2003 (U16), 2003 (U18)
• National Junior Mixed Doubles Champion in 2000 & 2001 (U14), 2001 & 2002 (U16), 2005 (U18)
• Oceania Singles Champion in 2008 (U21)

Senior Events & Achievements:

• National Women’s Doubles Champion in 2010, 2014, 2015
• World Team Cup in 2010, 2015
• World Team Championships in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018
  • Winner Division 2 in 2012 – promoted to Championship Division
• Commonwealth Games in 2018
  • Quarter-finalist Women’s Doubles
  • 4^th in Women’s Teams Event
• Oceania Women’s Doubles Champion in 2018
• World Individual Championships in 2019
• Commonwealth Championships in 2019
• Olympic Games in 2021

Michael Li thanks Michelle Bromley for the discussion, support and advice for this article.