Joe in top form at Junior Nationals

Junior National Championships Sunday 5th March
Report by Mark Lundberg

Day two of the National Championships was the turn of the Juniors, Cadets and Minors to take centre stage in Perth. As always like the seniors the previous day this year’s contingents of possible future senior champions provide the same drama on the court within the Bells arena. It was fantastic to see the strength and depth of different regions producing players for the event. With entrants from Inverness to Dumfries all areas where covered for the day ahead.

Play started with the Minor and Junior events taking to the courts where the Minor Boys and Junior Boys being played out in groups to determine the knockout rounds. The Junior and Minor girls events being played out in a round robin for the final placed positions. This was the same for the afternoon single events in the cadet boys and cadet girls.

Junior Boys – Under 19
Without doubt the junior boys is the most competitive we have seen in many a year with the winners of open events/schools event changing hands throughout the season. Reflecting on the draw there is a feeling that if you rerun the event the next day it may have different set of results with matches having another outcome however it is about who is prepared in the moment and the pinnacle which is the National Championships and who is mentally ready to step up and take the title.

The boys were split into five groups where the top two players would move into the knockout rounds and the interesting battles of who would get the better seeding in the knockout rounds by winning the group. Group 3 had the interesting matchup of Harry Blackhall v Kieran Walker. Kieran had been absent from any events this season in Scotland due to relocating to France a move made to help with his future table tennis career. It was Kieran who would win this match and top the group. Robbie Martin defeated Jacob Munro to cause an upset in group 2 to move to the knockout rounds where Jamie Johnson topped the group. Rayyan Khalid defeated Charlie McGowan to top group 5. Borui Chen topped group 1 with Daniel Tibbetts taking the runner up position. The depth of the boys game continued as Aberdeen cadet Jakub Krzyzostaniak took the victory over Jamie Toner to move through as group runner up behind Nathan Hogg in group 4. As predicted the junior boys was not straightforward to who would get their place in the knockout stages which were eagerly anticipated.

For a place in the quarter finals an all Aberdeen show down or nicknamed the Granite City knockout took place in the two preliminary rounds were Harry Blackhall v Robbie Martin and Daniel Tibbetts v Jakub Krzyzostaniak. It was the more experienced Harry and Daniel who would book their place in the quarter finals. The quarter final again showed that predicting seeding’s against who would go through to the semi-finals was not how to view the junior boys. At the top of the draw Harry Blackhall took the victory over number one seed Borui Chen in four sets. Facing Harry in the semi-final would be Nathan Hogg who won over Rayyan Khalid in three sets. The next semi-finalist was Kieran Walker who took the victory over Scottish U19 schools champion Charlie McGowan and joining Kieran was Jamie Johnson who battled from two sets down against Daniel Tibbetts to book his place.

In Semi-final number one an entertaining and attacking encounter ensued between Harry Blackhall and Nathan Hogg both players never giving in an inch in trying to overcome their opponent with attacking play and it was North Ayrshires Nathan Hogg who would through to the final in a very tight four set match. The next semi-final was more a mental battle between Jamie Johnson and Kieran Walker something becoming very familiar with a Kieran Walker match that it is rarely not a dramatic affair. This went all the way to five sets both players in the zone trying to get the upper hand over their opponent. It was Jamie who prevailed in the mental battle winning the final set to the loss of only two points and book his place against his North Ayrshire club mate Nathan.

Massive credit to the club from Saltcoats in producing both players for the Junior Boys Final in such a competitive division. Playing someone that you know so well in a final sometimes can be very difficult as both know each other’s game so well. If you are in a competition hall with Nathan and Jamie with any spare moment they are practicing between matches encouraging and helping each other improve and also being team mates in the West of Scotland league each week you could say they may sick of the sight of each other. It would be interesting how this final would play out.
Both players tried to ensure their attacking style would be the first to get in during the point and it was Nathan who slightly edged this battle. Always being slightly ahead he would take the match in three tight sets 12-10, 11-9, 11-9 which on paper I am sure Jamie will look back on and review what he could do differently and credit for Nathan for keeping his composure to close out each set and the become champion and add his name to the coveted shield of those esteemed names in Scottish Table Tennis.

Junior Girls U-19
In preparation in moving to senior womens event getting the practice in playing a round robin group featuring all entrants ensured that each match you must remain focussed ticking off each match with a view of hopefully winning the title seems like good practice and replicates the mental and physical battle in the senior womens event. What is difficult for the neutral or those trying to check in the status of the competition in a round robin format is it is hard to follow how the group is forming for the final results. Part of the reason for this is a positive for those taking part is so many matches are a tight five sets or a just tight set. All competitors were giving their all to get the result that they needed to make progress in the competition.

This group format is certainly a format number 1 seed Holly McNamara is familiar with 24 hours previously as she battled in the event just falling short even having a fantastic victory over defending and eventual champion Faye Leggett. There was no stopping Holly in this event as she would take the title winning all her matches without dropping a single set which is a fantastic demonstration of concentration to win the title in this manner. Taking the runners up position was Drumchapel`s Megan Mulhern whose only loss was to Holly. Megan was involved in two five set matches winning against Jessica Hogg and Hannah McDonnell and not forgetting possibly the set of the whole weekend as set number three with Julia Domagala finished 23-21 in Megans favour. The rest of the group had some fantastic matches although not taking the coveted title or runners up position it became an event of attrition and not forgetting Dumfries Marie De Silva who was involved in some epic matches in the competition. Last word on the Junior Girls must go to Holly and she was a dominant champion for the 2023 competition.

Cadet Boys U-15
Bringing the action in the afternoon were the cadet boys split into 8 groups. It would be the group winners and runners up once again that would move through to the last 16. A more conventional knockout event with no prelim- rounds and fantastic progress was made to get to the business end of the tournament with all quarter finalist taking their place without dropping a set in the round of 16.
The eye- catching quarter finals saw top seed Ben Hart v Jakub Krzyzostaniak and Bohao Chen v Robbie Martin. Both Jakub and Robbie had a fantastic run in the junior boys however it was not to be for the Aberdeen duo as Ben and Bohao would move to the semi- finals. The other quarter final saw Anthony Chim v Victor Chen and Rory Thomson v 2nd seed Joe Mulhern and it would be Anthony and Joe who would take the victory and face off in the semi finals

Ben would book his place in the final dropping only one set in his semi-final with Bohao and Joe was ruthless against Drumchapel club mate Anthony and move to the final without dropping a set.

The stage was set for another Ben Hart v Joe Mulhern final these two have proved over the last couple of seasons that a fantastic rivalry is growing between the pair and their final was eagerly anticipated. The first set proved to be key in this match nip and tuck all the way to deuce and it would be Joe would take it 13-11. This proved to be vital as Joes confidence in the match would grow dispatching forehand winners at will. There was no stopping Joe as he would win the match in three sets over Stirlingshire’s Ben. The watching crowd and table tennis community will all have watchful eye over how these two promising youngsters develop in the years to come and the rest of the of the crop of the U-15 division.

Cadet Girls U-15
A round robin event for the cadet girls however unlike the senior woman and junior girls this event seem to be a lot more straightforward to how the outcome was reached. Which for reporting on the event and for top table makes a nice change. It was Drumchapel`s Megan Mulhern who would take the spoils dropping only one set in her quest for the title and following on from her fantastic display in the Junior Girls she simply could not be stopped. Aberdeen`s Kiishi Adekola would take the runners up position winning her remaining games however was unable to push Megan for the title.

Minor Boy U-13
Joe Mulhern completed the double for the second year in a row which at the minor and cadet level is an achievement worth noting. In fact it is the second year in a row the Mulhern family are celebrating the cadet boys and girls double and would be remise not to mention this. Taking the runners up position was Bohao Chen who also had a fantastic run to the semi-finals of the cadet boys. The minor boys had a very healthy entry of over 20 minor boys with this depth of entry the future looks bright.

Minor Girls U-13
Kiishi Adekola would take the victory in the minor girls group overcoming fellow Aberdeen club mate Nikki Mo. Kiishi would move through the group without the loss of a set however I am sure like in other events Nikki will continue to push Kiishi to the mutual benefit of both players .
Junior Boys Doubles

A straight knockout competition made up the Junior Boys doubles competition and making their way to the semi finals saw the partnership of Borui Chen/Charlie McGowan v Kieran Walker/Ruben De Silva. A tight four set match ensued and an interesting match up as Ruben recently converted to a defensive style brought an interesting dymanic to the match. Quite often a defensive and attacking partnership can be entertaining to watch and this is the case for Ruben and Kieran however they could not stop the Murrayfield pair progressing to the final.

The other semi final saw our top cadet pairing Ben Hart/Joe Mulhern team up and take on the junior boys single finalists Jamie Johnson/Nathan Hogg and what a great fight the young cadet pair would make of it taking the first set they pushed the more experienced pair in the second set however it was North Ayrshire team that would take control and move to the final taking the next three sets.
Junior boys final was one of the most entertaining matches of the weekend both teams playing some fantastic shots with no team given an inch in their pursuit of the title and it deserved to go right to the wire which it did. It was the pair from Edinburgh who would take the title winning set 4 to save the match 13-11 and then to go and take the final set 11-8

Junior Girls Doubles
The junior girls doubles was played out in a round robin group and it was the pair of Holly McNamara & Jessica Hogg who would win all their matches without the loss of a set taking the runners up position was Maria De Silva/Hannah McDonnell.

Consolation Events
The tournament organisers ran consolation events in the cadet and minor boys where this could the start of our future champion’s journey in the sport and playing more competitive matches can only help their development.
Winning the cadet boys event was Connor Cadden who defeated Ben Stewart and the Minor Boys Dean Robertson defeated Aaron McKay. Well done to all those involved in both events.

This brought an end to the 2023 National Championships and once again what an event it was. In the senior events we had new a Mens Singles Champion. A left hander which has been rare and also strange not seeing the Rumgay name in the final but I am sure our 16 time champion quest has already started to come back next year stronger however the continued improvement of our champions and finalist will have a huge say on this and the general depth of the mens game will also have huge say on this outcome. In the ladies events our champion defended the trophy however next year who is to say how the event will turn out the ladies game shows things can swing.

The strength and depth continues in the junior events as reported and everyone will be excited to see how the progress of this group develops over the years to come. This event would not be the success it would be without the tournament organisers starting with Richard Yule liaising with Bells Sports Centre pre event to ensure everything was the best for the entrants. Our equipment sponsors Tees Sport who provide nothing but the best on the day. Stewart McGowan our tournament referee for once again ensuring the event ran with nothing but efficiency and most important of all sporting integrity. Alison Woods, Lorraine Johnston, Ken Cadogan, Barry Johnston and Charlie Flint who keep things ticking over at top table. Having sat at the top table for the event I observed at first hand how these great volunteers simply do not stop working for the benefit of the players. Last but not least grateful thanks to the team of umpires who made a real difference to the event picking up any game asked of them no matter what event it was. We return early March 2024 and I for one cannot wait to see who will be our next National Champions.