David Coleman, Federal Member for Banks, welcomed 180 of the best junior table tennis players to Hurstville on Saturday, at the opening of the 2014 Australian Junior Table Tennis Championships.
Junior table tennis players from every state and territory will be competing at the Hurstville Aquatic and Leisure Centre, until Saturday 4th November.
Mr Coleman said at the Opening Ceremony that table tennis in Australia is going from strength to strength.
“With our women’s teams returning from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with silver and bronze medals, I know that some players in this room will be a part of future successful teams at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast,” Mr Coleman said.
Mr Coleman also congratulated all of the families of the competitors, acknowledging that it “takes dedication from the whole family to support athletes who are at the top of their game”.
He also thanked and congratulated the local organising committee:
“It is great to have such an important, national event held in our area – thank you to the St George and Sutherland Table Tennis Association, including Graham Boyton, Stephen Bruton, Connie Chan, Steve Eggleton, Stephen Gillespie, Marie Pinkewich, Anita Un and Leonie Whiteford, for all of their hard work”.