Qld’s top 30 teenage table tennis talents revealed
From gold medal winners to No.1 ranked stars and national squad members – meet the junior table tennis talents thriving in Queensland. SEE THE LIST
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The next crop of Queensland table tennis superstars has never looked more promising with plenty of young stars emerging through the ranks.
It is no easy feat to be the best in your age group, so here we present 30 of Queensland’s next wave of talent, the teenage high achievers of 2022, for the sport described as “if you put chess and tennis together and speed it up times three”.
These guys are doing a minimum of 20 hours training a week to make it to the top.
The effort along with the equipment, training and travelling costs aren’t generous but it’s all for the love of the game.
Table Tennis Queensland CEO Jason Walsh said with the Olympics around the corner, it wasn’t outside of the realms for these players to be aiming for sport’s biggest event.
“That’s the goal of the top guys here. There are stepping stones along the way but representing Australia is the pinnacle,” he said.
“Making the Australian team will involve a lot of travel, so the top three or four in each age group are the ones making the effort to get experience, play at interstate events and put in a world of effort.”
Covid-19 had a massive impact but this year Walsh said Queensland is back to its pre-Covid numbers with record amounts of memberships and clubs.
So, feast your eyes on the best of the best.
THE TOP 30 TEEN TABLE TENNIS TALENTS IN QLD
JITHEN ALUWIHARE
The second ranked under-19 boys player in Australia and currently the No.1 ranked Queensland male junior player.
Aluwihare, originally from Sri Lanka, has been playing since he was nine.
Based at Wynnum, the young gun is under French head coach Franck Roguiez, who brings a different mentality and international experience after being a table tennis professional in Europe.
“He’s been a player forever and has attended every single training session. To summarise him with one word – talent. He is a raw talent and one of the best in Queensland,” Roguiez said.
HAN LEUNG
The second ranked under-11 boys player in Australia, who won a gold medal in under-11 singles at the Brisbane leg of National Table Tennis Tour event this year.
Leung is a Wynnum young gun, was in the Australian under-12 team last year and is the definition of a rookie-on-the-rise.
“He plays down south and has had some really encouraging results as of late. He’s a real up and comer,” Roguiez said.
ADEEPA KEERTHIRATNE
A national junior squad member and gold medal winner in the under-13 doubles at the 2022 Nationals Championships.
Keerthiratne hails from Cairns, but it is tough to break into the ranks from the regional areas, so high praise to him for his commitment to breaking in.
LUCAS GREEN
A gold medal winner in the under-13 boys singles at Brisbane leg of National Table
Tennis Tour event.
Green has a rich family history, with several of his brothers and sisters having played for Australia in their past.
His older brother played in the World Junior Championships and his sister made the national team.
“I was lucky enough to coach him at nationals. He’s a real fighter when he plays. A real grafter, working hard on the court enduring matches,” Queensland junior team head coach Matthew Pettett said.
ZACHARY BAKANY
Ranked fifth in under-17 boys after the 2022 National Championships.
Bakanav’s father was an exceptional player – one of the top ranked over-50 players in recent years and his son is following in his footsteps.
“He has a really great feeling for the ball and great touch. The most recent closed champion and played against adults and did great against them he has a great future in the senior ranks,” Queensland coach Pettett said.
ASHMITH SIVAYOGANATHAN
No.2 ranked Queensland under-17 junior make player, who won a silver medal at this year’s state championships.
Sivayoganathan is from Townsville, which is one of the strongest clubs in Queensland with a full time coach, and is a dedicated young player, travelling to southeast Queensland to play in events.
“He’s been a junior for the better part of nine years now. He’s come through the ranks as a decent under-13 player to a fully fleshed player in the 17s,” Townsville coach Olav Dahl said.
“He barely missed out on making the top 10 in Australia. In the state he is ranked second for his age his group and third in the under-19s.
“He excels in everything he does whether it is academics or table tennis. A keystone player in our team.”
LOCHLAN KEATING
Ranked No.8 in Australia for under-11 boys after the 2022 National Championships.
Keating has only been playing for two years and the fact this Brisbane boy is breaking into the national rankings so early is a sign of his potential.
Competing in his first nationals and being ranked eighth is impressive.
CODI LI
Represented Queensland at the 2022 National Hopes Week (under-12) and was a winner of the 2022 Queensland Hopes Championships in the boys singles.
Li has only been playing a few years and won the under-12 Queensland event last year.
He’s under Coach Roguiez at Wynnum and is an up-and-comer.
“He started two years ago, is very dedicated and hard working. He’s a good influence on those around him. He is a leader,” Roguiez said.
PRANAV PRASAD
Represented Queensland at the 2022 National Hopes Week (under-12) and was a runner-up at Queensland Hopes Championships in the boys singles.
Prasad is a newcomer to the game but is already a top under-12 player in Queensland.
Queensland coach Pettett said he was a young gun who fights hard on the court and puts in a lot of effort.
““You can count on him to give it 110 per cent,” he said.
OWEN JIN
Represented Queensland at the 2022 National Hopes Week (under-12) and is another Brisbane star, who is only starting out.
He is similar to Prasad – they are both talented with a promising future in the sport.
BORIS ZHANG
Bronze medal winner in the under-11 boys team event at the National Championships this year, Zhang is from South Brisbane, a new club based down in Logan.
The club has a good crop of players coming through with new coach Giovanni Cnapish.
Zhang is one of the first guys, who have made a name for themselves making it out of that club.
ASHISH ANTONY
A bronze medal winner in the under-13 boys team event at this year’s National Championships.
Ashish and Abiel are brothers from Brisbane, who play together in doubles, Ashish the younger of the two.
Their school is heavily involved with a table tennis program, which gives them an edge.
Winning a bronze in a team event is a great effort, especially going against the mighty Victorian and New South Wales teams.
“He was in the same team as Lucas Green. He’s a fantastic kid who goes in with a plan and does his best to execute. Not overawed by any occasion,” Queensland coach Pettett said.
His result at nationals is all the proof you need.
ABIEL ANTONY
Queensland under-15 boys team member and gold medallist in the under-17 boys doubles at the 2022 Queensland Junior Championships.
“He was a really good team player at Nationals. The dream teammate,” Pettett said.
STANLEY CHAM
Another Queensland under-15 boys team member and gold medallist in the under-17 mixed doubles at the 2022 Queensland Junior Championships.
Cham bolsters a really promising crop of talent brewing in Wynnum – in fact, he is at the forefront.
Coach Roguiez said he is someone, who was very resilient.
“At the end of the day, his natural ability is great and he is a grinder. He just keeps improving, and is really good to be around,” he said.
“Great vibes, which in table tennis are quite rare. I could put him anywhere and he would have fun.”
JASON WANG
Queensland under-15 boys team member and silver medallist in the under-15 mixed doubles at the 2022 Queensland Junior Championships.
A Gold Coast product, Wang has a couple of brothers, who have shown him the way.
The Gold Coast is quiet so he is definitely leading the charge as their best youngster.
His father still plays in the Queensland masters over-50s competition and that’s the beauty in table tennis – it’s a game for life.
“He’s a very elegant and relaxed player on the court. He’s calm under pressure,” Queensland coach Pettett said.
JADEN CAO
A silver medal winner in the under-11 boys singles at the Brisbane leg of the National Table Tennis Tour event.
The South Brisbane youngster only started playing last year and has since performed well at various events at a very young age, establishing himself as one to watch.
“He’s new on the scene so his results are encouraging given how long he has been playing for,” Jason Walsh said.
ELLA YU
A finalist for Queensland Junior Sports Star of the Year, the 2022 under-13 girls singles National Champion, who also represented Australia at the recent Oceania Hopes Challenge.
Yu only recently played in the Oceania Hopes Challenge in New Zealand, she represented Australia and came fifth overall against New Zealand and several pacific nations countries – a good effort to say the least.
Walsh said she was one of Queensland’s best players. making herself known on the national stage.
“She has all the attributes you’d want as a coach. Great effort and an even better listener,” he said.
One of the top female talents in the country for her age.
HANEUL KIM
A National Identification Squad member and fifth ranked under-15 girls player in Australia at the National Championships.
From the Gold Coast, Kim is similar to Ella Yu but a little older.
On the radar with national selections and if she polishes a few things in her game, should be knocking on the door for an Australian jersey soon.
Pettet coached the lefty in the under-15s.
“Kim is an excellent player and as such is in the Table Tennis Australia High Performance Identification Squad and I know she trains extremely hard, puts in a lot of time and hours,” he said.
TALEISHA GAETA
Ranked third in under-15 girls in Australia at the National Championships and is also a National Identification Squad member.
Gaeta is from Townsville and 2021 was her year – not only were her results at nationals impressive but she earned selection in the national squad.
Coach Olav Dahl said she is the No.1 junior representative in Townsville.
“I could list the events she’s won but there’s too many. She was ranked No.3 in Australia in the under-15s and is also ranked second in the under-21s of Queensland,” he said.
“And, she got a silver medal in the state women’s grade.
“She did make the National Players Squad for the juniors. She’s training five to six days a week and she is the most coachable person I have ever encountered.”
EUJIN HONG
A national under-12’s squad in 2021 and ranked fifth in under-13 girls in Australia at National Championships.
Hong’s a Wynnum winner, the No.1 female under Franck Roguiez for the last few years.
The 13-year-old has got plenty of years still to improve and get on the national selectors radar.
“She is a hard worker, absolute grinder, her work ethic is incredible. I’ve never seen someone like it,” Roguiez said.
Roguiez also joked Hong is the type of fighter and kind soul that could one day be president of the world
.
AMY JANG
Third ranked player in Australia for under-11 girls at the National Championships.
Jang is only very fresh on the scene – her mother Stella Shim was a top international coach and now she is a Queensland junior coach.
An exceptional coach, whose impact is clearly reflecting on Jang’s game.
“She’s from the Gold Coast, quite the young up-and-comer. She did great at nationals, she plays without fear and is great against older players in particular. I have seen her worry the more senior players many a time,” Pettett said.
EMILY STEFFEN
Sixth ranked player in Australia for under-17 girls at the National Championships and part of the bronze medal winning under-17 girls team at this year’s nationals.
May we present our only young gun from the sporting-rich town of Rockhampton – she comes from the smallest club with just 50 members.
“She’s got a different game to most and it plays to her advantage. She has different rubbers and is a real surprise packet,” Pettett said.
Not only does Steffen produce impressive results but she can easily upset anyone on her day. A two-time state champion, so she’s Miss Consistent.
Pam Clarke is the mastermind developing her.
DHRITI SINGH PANWAR
The eighth ranked player in Australia for under-17 girls at the National Championships and part of the bronze medal winning under-17 team at this year’s tournament.
Brisbane’s Singh Panwar has been around the Queensland team for the last six years.
She is stable, competitive, a good teammate, has a great attitude, is mentally up for it and incredibly poised in high pressure situations.
“One of the best. Great to coach and is the picture of calmness under pressure. Very composed on the table,” Pettett said.
KIERA CONNOLY
Ranked ninths in Australia in under-17 girls at the National Championships and part of the bronze medal winning under-17 girls team at this year’s tournament.
Connolly is a Brisbane product, who has older sisters who were great players but it gets better, her mum still plays in master events.
“She’s in a similar boat to Dhriti, progressing through the age groups really well and has a really complete game, meaning she will do well in the senior ranks,” Pettitt said.
BRIDGIT MURPHY
Ranked ninth in under-15 girls in Australia at the National Championships and part of the bronze medal winning under-15 girls team at this year’s tournament.
Murphy is from Cairns and has vigorous competition with Adeepa.
She also takes it to her regional north friend Aleisha from Townsville, to sharpen her skillset.
“She’s excellent in pressure situations and loves her teammates. Would rather win as a team than individual accolades,” Pettett said.
NATALIE SHERIFF
The seventh ranked player in Australia for under-11 girls at the National Championships, she is also part of the silver medal winning under-11 girls team at the same tournament.
Sheriff is the only one on our list from Moreton Bay.
Her father was one of the Queensland team coaches at nationals, so there is little wonder why Sheriff is making inroads in the game, having an accredited coach as your father surely makes life easier.
Sheriff is an all rounder and jack-of-all trades.
OLIVIA LIN
Part of the silver medal winning under-13 girls team at the National Championships.
Lin is another newcomer to the Brisbane club, under head coach Paul Jones, who has a great group of girls emerging through the ranks.
Lin is a serious talent on the rise.
LIN ZHU
Part of the silver medal winning under-11 girls team at the National Championships.
Very similar to those from the South Brisbane club, Zhu is new to the game but improved leaps and bounds.
“One for the future for sure,” Pettett said.
“She has been a surprise for the team, coming out of nowhere and impressing. She has a mature game for her age.”
SINEAD KEATING
Part of the under-11 girls Queensland team and semi-finalist of the under-13 girls singles at the Queensland Junior Championships.
Sinead is the younger sister of Lachie – the talent just runs in the family, theBrisbanebrother-sister duo clearly push each other to be better.
Sinead is one to watch out for, only young, but showing plenty of promise.
MANASEE SIVAYOGANATHAN
Silver medal and bronze medal for the under-13 girls doubles and under-13 mixed doubles respectively at the Queensland Junior Championships.
Manasee is the sister of Ashmith – once again, these two have that connection which strengthens their competitive edge.
CAITLIN WOODS
Woods just finished her last year of juniors and she ranked eighth overall in the under-19s in Australia.
She’s got the passion, work drive and has not only been a key role model for the rest of her Townsville squad in the juniors but for the state.
Woods has always been a great team player, who moves out of the junior ranks oozing leadership.
She would be a great asset to the Queensland coaching staff, working with the juniors and playing with the seniors with ease – watch this space.
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