TOP NSW TABLE TENNIS PLAYERS AIMING HIGHER (2016-2020)

Table Tennis Australia (TTA) released the Top 10 Australian National Rankings for top Australian table tennis players from 1948 to 2020 on 16 Aug 2021.

Three male players and two female players from NSW are identified as the greatest NSW table tennis players in Australian table tennis history over the past 72 years. They are Paul Pinkewich, Cliff McDonald, Gary Haberl, Dorli Shipp and Michelle Bromley. Their achievements can be viewed via TTNSW:https://www.ttnsw.org.au/news/top-nsw-table-tennis-players-recognised-1948-2020/.

Kane Townsend, Michelle Bromley, Tracy Feng and Chris Yan - 2018 Commonwealth Games

Being ranked in the top 10 table tennis players in Australia was, is and will continue to be a significant achievement to which players aspire. There are hundreds of players who have achieved this feat over the past 72 years, many of whom went on to become greats of Australian table tennis through their performances on the national and international stage. Full list can be viewed via TTA: https://cdn.revolutionise.com.au/news/fcmeu3pythnltqt4.pdf.

                                                             Kane TOWNSEND

Two male players and three female players from NSW are also recognized as the greatest NSW table tennis players in Australia in the period 2016 to 2020 as follows: Kane TOWNSEND, Michelle BROMLEY, Tracy FENG, Kai PENG and Chris YAN. All of them are  2021 Table Tennis Australia National Squad (Able-Bodied) members.

Both  Kane TOWNSEND and Michelle BROMLEY have been ranked in the Australian Top 10 Rankings for 5 consecutive years each from 2016 to 2020, and they both are NSW born and grown elite table tennis players. Tracy FENG, Kai PENG and Chris YAN have been ranked in the Australian Top 10 Rankings 4 times each from 2016 to 2020. Tracy, Kai and Chris are Chinese born and grown elite table tennis players.

                  Kane TOWNSEND                                               Michelle BROMLEY

KANE TOWNSEND                                                

Kane TOWNSEND has been ranked in the Australian Top 10 Rankings for 5 consecutive years from 2016 to 2020. Kane has claimed 5 Australian Titles and 9 Oceania Titles and has officially represented Australia at 2 Commonwealth Games, 3 World Team Championships, 3 World Individual Championships, 3 World Team Cups, 2 Commonwealth Championships, 4 Oceania Cups and 4 Oceania Championships.

                                Michelle BROMLEY                              Kai PENG

MICHELLE BROMLEY

Michelle Bromley (née Beaumont) has been ranked in the Australian Top 10 Rankings for 16 years. This is the third most times an Australian female table tennis player appears in Top 10 Rankings. Michelle is ranked in Australian Top 10 Rankings for 5 consecutive years from 2016 to 2020.

Michelle is the first New South Wales born and grown female Olympian in Australian table tennis history. Michelle also claimed NSW titles in 2017, 2020 and 2021.

Michelle has claimed 5 Australian Titles and 3 Oceania Titles and has officially represented Australia at 1 Olympic Games, 1 Commonwealth Games, 1 Commonwealth Championships, 5 World Championships, 2 World Team Cups and 6 Oceania Championships.

                              Tracy FENG                                                           Kai PENG

TRACY FENG                                                                  

Tracy FENG is ranked in Australian Top 10 Rankings 4 times from 2016 to 2020.

Tracy has claimed 1 Australian Title and 1 Oceania Title. Tracy has officially represented Australia at 1 Commonwealth Games, 1 Commonwealth Championships and 1 Oceania Championships.

KAI PENG

Kai PENG is ranked in Australian Top 10 Rankings 4 times from 2016 to 2020.

Kai has claimed 1 Oceania Title and has officially represented Australia at 1 Commonwealth Championships and 1 Oceania Championships.

                   Michelle BROMLEY                                             Chris YAN

At the latest national event - the 2021 TTA Tour Sydney, Chris Yan won the Open Men's Singles Gold Medal, and Kane Townsend won the Open Men's Singles Bronze Medal. Tracy Feng won the Open Women's Singles Silver Medal. It is the only national event since the 2019 National Senior and Youth Championships, which were held 8-13 April 2019 due to COVID – 19 restrictions.

                                    Kane TOWNSEND, Chris YAN and Tracy FENG                     

TTA CEO Scott Houston commented, “We know there is a big appetite from the players to compete in national level events. The TTA Tour is a vehicle that not only provides more opportunities for all, but also showcases our premier athletes in a new and fresh competition environment. I am confident the TTA Tour will be a real success and if so, there are expansion opportunities available next year and beyond. I am appreciative the TTA Board saw fit to back this new initiative”.

                                                                   Chris YAN

TTA National Head Coach (Able-Bodied) John Murphy said, “We have built up our high-performance environment over the past couple of years with more training now being offered around the country than ever before. However, the reality is if our players are to reach their potential and if we are to drive up the overall standard of Australian table tennis, we need everyone competing more often and at a higher level. The TTA Tour will be crucial in ensuring sufficient high level competition opportunities are provided. Importantly, the format and structure of the TTA Tour aligns with international trends, especially the new World Table Tennis initiatives being rolled out.”

Kane Townsend, Michelle Bromley, Tracy Feng and Kai Peng - 2019 Commonwealth Championships          

CHRIS YAN

Chris YAN has been ranked in the Australian Top 10 Rankings 9 times from 2011 to 2020 and was ranked Australian No. 1 male table tennis player in 2015.

Chris has claimed 11 Australian Titles and 5 Oceania Titles and has officially represented Australia at 2 Olympic Games, 2 Commonwealth Games and 1 Oceania Championships. Chris also claimed NSW tiles in 2011 and 2015. Chris is the only New South Wales table tennis player to officially represent Australia in two Olympic Games.                  

Kane TOWNSEND, Tracy FENG, Paul ZHAO, Michelle BROMLEY, Chris YAN and Alice LEE -2019 National Senior and Youth Championships, Latrobe Churchill, Victoria, 8 - 13 April 2019.

The last National Senior and Youth Championships were held 8-13 April 2019 at Latrobe Churchill, VIC with international teams from New Caledonia and Tahiti also competing. Michelle Bromley and Tracy Feng won Women’s Team Silver Medal, Chris Yan and Kane Townsend won Men’s Team Gold Medal, and Kane Townsend also won Men’s Singles Silver Medal.

Due to his excellent achievements, Chris Yan was awarded Table Tennis Australia’s Victor Barna Memorial Trophy as the Australian Senior Player of the Year in 2020. The award and title are the highest honour for an Australian senior player and is awarded annually based on performance and results, combined with an athlete’s conduct.

Chris is the first NSW winner of this award since 1991 near 30 years, and Chris is also the fifth NSW winner of this award within half century since 1961. Within the period of assessment, Chris continued his momentum of rock-solid performances at the national and international level, including remaining undefeated throughout the 2020 Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament for Teams, and winning two crucial matches in the final against New Zealand to ensure Australia achieved maximum quota places for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

       Kane TOWNSEND, Tracy FENG and Commonwealth Games NSW CEO Peter TATE

TTA Chief Executive Officer Scott Houston said Yan’s performances were outstanding, but it is also his attitude amongst his teammates makes him deserving of the title.

“Chris has proved through his performances that he is worthy of winning this award, but I’d like to also commend him on his leadership and contribution to team spirit,’ Houston said.

Vice President of TTNSW, Ted Davis said: “TTNSW is proud of NSW top players’ achievements nationally and internationally. We wish to thank TTA for their concerted effort to capture and celebrate the rich history of Australian table tennis. We particularly wish to thank Marie Pinkewich, TTA Board Member, for her tireless work on this and other recording projects.                                     

The 2021 Houston ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Final and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games are just around the corner, TTNSW wishes NSW top table tennis players, all Australian top table tennis players and TTA the best luck for their success.”

David Lee and Michael Li wish to gratefully acknowledge Marie Pinkewich, TTA Board Member, Table Tennis New South Wales, Commonwealth Games NSW, Table Tennis Australia and Australian Olympic Committee.