The Mount Gambier Table Tennis Club men’s A Grade team has won the Table Tennis South Australia Country Carnival for the first time in over 20 years.
Leigh Barry, Travis Sweet and Ben Newman secured the title after defeating Riverland in the grand final 5-1.
Newman said everything came together for the trio to be crowned country carnival champions.
“We have been chasing it for quite a number of years and we have never quite been strong enough,” he said.
“We have always not quite got there, not even got to the final from my time playing for seven years.
“Teams change, people move away and we have never been able to have three good players in the same place at the same time and this year we were lucky enough to do it and be stronger than the other clubs. It was just nice after trying for so long to be able to get the trophy.”
The club’s men’s B Grade team also won its division, while the women’s A Grade team placed second in its tournament against hometown hosts Murray Bridge.
Teams from the Barossa Valley, Murray Bridge, Great Southern and Whyalla also competed in the carnival.
The men’s A Grade was split into two pools leaving Mount Gambier to play Barossa Valley, Great Southern, Murray Bridge 2 and Riverland 2 before advancing to the grand final.
Barry, Sweet and Newman all earned a medal for ranking within the top 10 male competitors on the Saturday for placing second, third and fourth respectively.
In the women’s category Mount Gambier Table Tennis Club competitor Sirinat Sweet claimed the top spot.
An individual knockout competition took place on the Sunday following the team carnival with Travis Sweet claiming runner up in the men’s individual final.
The club also won the junior/veterans Interclub Shield against Horsham, Warrnambool and Hamilton which is open to players over 40 and under 14.
The Mount Gambier Table Tennis Club will now host the interclub Donehue’s Shield against the same three local clubs in August.
The club welcomes new players who can enquire at trainings which take place at the Mount Gambier Show Hall on Monday and Wednesday nights from 7pm-9pm or alternatively contact Newman on 0400 239 231.
