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Posted 4/5/2008 Olympic Oceania Qualification Tournament ITTF Link
Updated News Items From New Caledonia Noumea
2008 Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament
The top seeded players in both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events at the Oceania Olympic  Qualification Tournament in Noumea, New Caledonia, came through the opening day of play, Saturday 5th April 2008, unscathed to book their places in the second stage of competition.
They showed their class.
In both Men’s and Women’s Singles events, the initial stage consists of four groups with the players finishing in first and second positions progressing to the second stage where the final play off for places takes place.
Position Confirmed
The Men’s Singles event saw Australia’s William Henzell confirm his top seeded position by overcoming Vanuatu’s Yoshua Shing and Kiribati’s Kevin Reo to finish in first place with the young man from Vanuatu second.
A final order of player as ranking predicted and it was the same in the remaining three men’s groups.
Australians Succeed
Australia’s Kyle Davis finished in first place in group two ahead of New Zealand’s Calvin Kwong, Vanuatu’s Han Lulu and Kiribati’s Korimara Nantara whilst in group three, the final order saw Australia’s Robbie Frank take top honours followed by New Zealand’s Simon Wallace, Vanuatu’s Randy Benjamin and Kiribati’s Bwebwenimeang Ioteba.
Similarly, in group four matters went according to plan with Australia’s David Zalcberg finishing in first place with New Zealand’s Nathan Lowe second and Kiribati’s Jonny Allie third.
Per Programme
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Singles it was very much as per programme; the victory of Vanuatu’s Anolym Lulu over Australia’s May Cho in group one being the only upset.
Anolyn Lulu finished in second spot behind New Zealand’s Kareen Li. Ma Cho concluded proceedings in second place with Kiribat’s Teakaki Mattia fourth.
No Further Upsets
An upset but there were no more.
In group two Australia’s Miao Miao finished ahead of Vanuatu’s Priscilla Tommy and Kiribati’s Tetbo Atea, in group three the final order read: Stephanie Sang of Australia, Kerry An Mok of Vanuatu and Katirakai Atanikai of Kiribati whilst in group four first place went to Australia’s Jian Fang Lay with New Zealand’s Yang Sun in second spot. Kiribat’s Tetau Selima was third with Pareina Matariki fourth.
font color="800000">Qualifiers for Stage Two
Men:</> William Henzell (AUS), Yoshua Shing (VAN), Kyle Davis (AUS), Calvin Kwong (NZL), Robert Frank (AUS), Simon Wallace (NZL), David Zalcberg (AUS), Nathan Lowe (NZL)
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4/5/2008 Olympic Oceania Qualification Tournament
The major upset on the first day at the Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Noumea, New Caledonia was the victory by a minnow over a giant, the minnow in question was the small Pacific island of Vanuatu, the giant was the massive land mass of Australia.
Representing the giant was May Cho, on duty for the  minnow was Anolyn Lulu with the latter securing victory in a contest that went the full five games distance.
Anolyn Lulu won 11-8, 11-9, 4-11, 5-11, 12-10.
Big Upset
“It was big upset”, said Steve Dainton, Director of the ITTF Asia and Pacific Office in Beijing. “I’m sure that it’s the first time in many years, perhaps it’s never happened before, that an Australian senior player has lost to someone outside New Zealand in the Oceania region.”
The victory was an upset of quite mammoth proportions.
Nothing to Lose
“I just thought to myself I have nothing to lose, so therefore the pressure was not on me”, said Anolyn Lulu. “Still at 10-8 in the in my favour in the fifth game I became nervous, luckily for me it seemed May was also nervous and missed some chances.”
Honour
Somehow, Anolyn Lulu maintained her focus. “I just thought I need to keep the ball alive”, she continued. “It’s a great honor for me because we are working and practising hard in Vanuatu; we do not have the opportunities like the Australian and New Zealand players so to win is like a dream come true”.
In the Oceania Rankings May Cho is No. 7 (World Ranked No. 249) and Anolyn Lulu No. 105 in the Oceania Ranking (World Ranked No. 897)
Caused a Stir
“It was a splendid match”, continued Steve Dainton. “Also, young Priscilla Tommy from Vanuatu caused a stir when she took the third game off Miao Miao and raced to 5-0 in the fourth; it wasn’t to be, but it showed the giant steps that Vanuatu has made.
Kiribati
Vanuatu is one of the smaller associations taking part as is Kiribati; qualifying for the Olympics for the smaller countries on duty is perhaps a goal out of reach, the fact they are competing is the most important criteria,
“We know that qualifying for Olympics is highly unlikely but we try and we must show our players the level they need to reach if they one day want to participate in the Olympic Games”, said Bwebwemeang Kureata, Development Officer for Kiribati Table Tennis Association. “Our country has only recently become part of the Olympic movement becoming a National Olympic Committee in 2005 so we are now working towards the goal of one day sending table tennis players to the Olympic Games.”
Young Team
Kiribati is one of the younger members of the International Olympic Committee and their team is also based on youth.
“We have brought many young players, sixteen in total, four men and four women; they will compete in the Olympic Qualification and stay for the New Caledonia Championships.”
They are in Noumea to learn and they can take heart from the efforts of Anolyn Lulu of Vanuatu; 2008 maybe too soon but in 2012 will it be a player from Kiribati who causes an early shock
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Posted 4/5/2008 Olympic Oceania Qualification Tournament
A place in the Olympic Games is very much to the forefront at the present moment; the qualification tournaments for Asia and Latin America have been completed, the same tournament in Europe commenced in Nantes on Wednesday 2nd April, now it is the turn of the southern hemisphere.
The Oceania Olympic Qualification event began in Noumea, New Caledonia under the direction of Patrick Gillmann and Claude Hugot on Saturday 5th April and will conclude on Tuesday 8th April 2008.
Hard fought matches, tension and no doubt some surprises will accrue as players fight for the three male and three female places that are available.
Entry
Booking a ticket for Beijing will be no easy task for the fourteen men and fifteen women from Australia, New Zealand, Kiribati and Vanuatu who are taking part in the four day competition.
Notable Names
“The undoubted favourite in the Men’s Singles event is Australia’s William Henzell”, explained Steve Dainton, Director of the ITTF Asia and Pacific Office in Beijing who is present in Noumea.
“The biggest challenges may well come from his home country in the form of Kyle Davis, Robert Frank and David Zalcberg”, continued Steve Dainton. “All have a chance of clinching one of the two further places on offer, whilst New Zealand’s Simon Wallace young Yoshua Shing, who has spent one year in China, are players to watch
William Henzell
Certainly William Henzell, who has played in the three most recent Liebherr Men’s World Cup competitions is a clear favourite, the fact that he extracted one game from Wang Hao, the man ranked number one in the world, at the Liebherr Men’s World Cup in Barcelona last year, underlines his pedigree.
Women
However, for the women there is no clear cut favourite.
“Karen Li from New Zealand seeded is seeded one”, explained Steve Dainton. “But the four Australians Miao Miao, Stephanie Sang, May Cho and Jiang Fang Lay all have equal chances.”
An intriguing event is promised for a tournament that is somewhat of a watershed in Oceania table tennis.
First Time
“It is the first time than an Oceania Olympic Qualification tournament has been held in a country other than Australia and New Zealand”, explained Steve Dainton; however there is an irony. “New Caledonia does not have a National Olympic Committee and therefore cannot enter players into the tournament.”
Not Downhearted
Nevertheless, Patrick Gillman, Oceania President and President of the New Caledonia Federation is not downhearted.
“He is happy to be part of the Olympic movement and is trying to host high class events”, continued Steve Dainton. “It is the first time for show court tables to be used in an Oceania event with two Double Happiness Rainbow tables taking centre stage; also, sponsorship has been found domestically to ensure the event makes a profit and bring some revenue back to the Oceania Federation.”
Achievement
It is for Patrick Gillman a major achievement and for both Calendonia and the Oceania Table Tennis Federation, a step in the right direction, a step towards greater excellence
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