Table Tennis clubs across Queensland ready to ‘have a go’ this weekend

As Australia is captivated by the Tokyo Olympic Games, with Australian athletes across all sports achieving amazing results and providing some positive vibes to Australians back home, a number of community events will be held this weekend in areas of the country not affected by COVID outbreaks, to bring people together and celebrate Olympic sport.

These initiatives are part of the ‘Olympics Live’ campaign launched by the Australian Olympic Committee to ensure that fans could experience the spectacle of the Olympic Games at designated “Live Sites”, offering live images of the events in Tokyo, Olympic-themed entertainment and the possibility to ‘have a go’ at a number of sports, including table tennis.

As COVID-19 restrictions are still imposed on large areas of the country, Queensland in particular will be a hub of activities throughout the weekend, with clubs across the State providing equipment and offering free ‘come and try’ table tennis sessions within the Olympic Live sites setting.

Rockhampton Table Tennis Club representatives will be at Stapleton Park on Friday from 2pm-7pm, as part of the Olympics Live Regional Roadshow. Rockhampton Table Tennis Association President Allan Clarke said that coaches and volunteers from the club will be available to give all sports fans, and school-aged kids in particular, an opportunity to try out the sport and have fun while supporting the Australian team. 

“For us it’s a chance to reach a new audience and explain table tennis to people who might not necessarily appreciate the nuances of the sport. We’ll have our junior state representatives and Junior State Champions participating, some as young as nine, to show that table tennis can be played in the garage for fun, or you can go on to represent your State in the sport, if that’s your goal,” Clarke said. 

Celebrations will continue during the weekend, with the Regional Roadshow moving on to Mackay. Local Table Tennis Club president Janice Kent said that she looks forward to drumming up more interest for the sport as club members will alternate managing the tables between 10am-4pm on Sunday at the Aquatic and Recreational Centre in Ooralea.

South East Queensland could not let the opportunity pass, as the State Capital and Gold Coast are still ecstatic from the recent announcement that Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games. 

Gold Coast Table Tennis club will offer a ‘come and try’ opportunity at Kurrawa Park on Sunday between 10am-4pm, said Club Manager and Table Tennis Queensland Board Member Lukas Kozak. 

“We’ll have two tables on offer, with players from the clubs and volunteers available to help out throughout the day. The Live Sites give us a good opportunity to promote the club and hopefully increase participation off the back of the enthusiasm generated by the Olympic Games,” he said.

“We welcome these initiatives and support the clubs’ efforts to make table tennis available to Australian sports fans,” said Table Tennis Australia National Participation & Development Program Senior Manager Aaron Tuckfield. “Particularly after the announcement of Brisbane as future Olympic host, there has never been a better time to get people to ‘have a go’ at table tennis and bring as many people as possible, across all age groups, to the sport. Our Olympians in Tokyo are inspiring a new generation of athletes and it could all start at one of these events,” Tuckfield said.

If you’re in the area, it might be a great opportunity to bring a mate along and introduce them to table tennis while cheering for our Olympians in Tokyo.