The makeup of Australia’s Table Tennis team reflected the sport’s faith in its future with three 19-year-olds being blooded at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
However, it was an ‘old faithful’ competing in her last Olympic campaign who delivered her nation’s most rousing moments in the table tennis arena.
Teenagers Nicholas Lum, Finn Luu and Hwan Bae gained invaluable experience that ought to help them in the lead up to Los Angeles and beyond. While each player showed glimpses of their potential, Finn’s effort in his 4-3 loss to Ecuador’s Alberto Mino was gripping.
Melissa Tapper (34), Michelle Bromley (36) and Min Hyung Lee fought just as doggedly against teams seeded much higher than them.
Melissa, the only Aussie to have competed at the Olympics and Paralympics, was outstanding.
She shocked Korea’s world number eight by taking a 6-0 lead in the first set of their match. Tapper then scared Chinese Taipei in the women’s Teams event when she threatened to win her match against Chen Szu-Yu, a player ranked almost 200 places above her.
The team prides itself on strong camaraderie, a fighting spirit and the way the players carried themselves. Their pre-Games camp in the French city of Pontoise is also a highlight.
