| Great Experiences Felt at the 2011 DONIC/Alex TT Canadian Para Championships |
Paralympic Results
On behalf of Table Tennis Canada and its Para Table Tennis Committee, Para National Team Coach John Macpherson acted as MC welcoming everyone to the event, introducing notables to the group and outlining the day’s activities.
Speaking for the hosting venue, the Mississauga Campus of the My Table Tennis Club, Manager Gareth Constance highlighted the opening ceremonies with a very enthusiastic welcome to the players, coaches, officials and supporters assembled at this year’s Canadian Para Championships. In his remarks he made special notation of the MTTC members competing in the Championships and the accessibility and openness of the club to persons with a disability.
With the conclusion of that address to the assembly the events began. Events offered this year were: Open Standing Class Singles and Team and Open Wheelchair Class Singles and Team.
Singles
In the Open Standing Singles event MTTC member Sayed Asad Hussain advanced undefeated out of his round robin and through the quarters to the semi-finals where he decisively defeated last year’s Silver Medallist and Beijing Paralympian Ian Kent (NS) 3-1 (5, -6, 9, 5). With that solid victory in hand Hussain met last year’s Champion Martin Pelletier (QC) in the Championship Match and confidently showed superior firepower to pull off a 3-0 victory (8, 8, 8) over the tenacious incumbent Champion. A very impressive showing for the former 2006 Para Standing Champion who has been inactive for the past five years due to injury. Welcome back! As there was no playoff for 3rd place both losing semi-finalists, Ian Kent and Masoud Mojtahed, were awarded Bronze Medals.
The Open Wheelchair Singles saw former perennial champion Barry Butler (ON) regain his singles crown with a 3-1 victory (6, -11, 7, 8) over last year’s Champion Muhammad Mudassar (ON). Laurie Sokolowski (YK) took a Bronze Medal back to Dawson City.
Team Event
The Open Wheelchair Team finals witnessed a major upset as last year’s finalists, Muhammad Mudassar and Asad Murtaza, handed Butler his first ever defeat (2-3) in team event action at the national level since 1975 to take the Wheelchair Team Title. The match came down to the 5th game of the pivotal doubles component of the encounter. Butler/Sokolowski took an early lead (12-10) only to lose the next two games (3-11, 8-11) before rebounding to win the fourth game (11-8). Down 9-10 in the 5th game Mudassar and Murtaza pulled off an amazing comeback to win at 12-10!
The Open Standing Team semi-finals witnessed victories by National Para Team members Mojtahed (BC) and Kent (NS) over Stephanie Chan (BC) and newcomer Xiaoyang Zu (ON) 3-1 and by the team of Martin Pelletier (QC)/Real Poudrier (QC) over Syed Asad Hussain (ON)/Naveed Islam 3-2. As in the Wheelchair team finals the doubles match proved the critical victory for the win as Pelletier/Poudrier alternated wins and losses: 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 9-11 and 11-7.
The Standing Team Finals started with an excellent match between Pelletier and Kent resulting in a hard won victory by Kent 3-2: (11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7). Unfortunately Pelletier/Poudrier couldn’t regain their form and fell 3-0 resulting in a Silver Medal result as Kent/Mojtahed claimed the Gold.
Kudos to Referee Normand Belanger and his excellent crew of officials for a job well done!
The award ceremonies began at 4 pm with John Macpherson moving things along nicely as MC while Table Tennis Canada’s Technical and Projects Coordinator Mireille Tallon and special guest National Team Member Pradeeban Peter-Paul handed out the Medals to the successful competitors.
Congratulations to the athletes of the host province Ontario for yet another very successful showing at the Canadian Para Championships as they claimed three of the four titles on offer this year: Singles and Team in wheelchair competition and Singles in standing play.
Current plans are for the 2012 Para Championships to be held in Ottawa during October.