News
Victorian Veterans at the 2026 National Championships
Published Wed 28 Oct 2026
The 2026 National Veterans Championships took place from 17–24 October at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre in Albury, New South Wales, bringing together players from across Australia and New Zealand for a week of competition and celebration of Veterans’ table tennis.
With the Team Events held from 17–21 October, followed by the Individual Events from 21–24 October, the Championships provided a fantastic opportunity for athletes to compete against some of the country’s best, represent their states and celebrate the spirit of Veterans’ table tennis.
Victoria was proudly represented throughout the week, with our Veterans State Team delivering a series of strong performances across the various age groups and divisions.
Table Tennis Victoria Interim CEO Sarah Pisterman attended the Championships and was pleased to see the Victorian team come together throughout the week.
“It was fantastic to be in Albury to support our Victorian Veterans and see the passion and commitment they continue to bring to the sport. National Championships are about more than the results on the table; they’re also about the friendships, sportsmanship and strong sense of community that make Veterans’ table tennis so special.
“Congratulations to all our Victorian players on their efforts throughout the Championships. It was wonderful to see our team represent Victoria with such pride, and I would also like to thank the coaches, team management, officials and everyone working behind the scenes who helped make the week a success,” Pisterman said.
Team Events
The Team Events opened the Championships, with Victorian players taking to the tables from 17 October to compete against teams from across the country. The opening days showcased the depth of talent across the Veterans divisions, with plenty of competitive matches and strong team performances.
Victorian Team Results
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Event Name
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Team members
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Medal
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O/30 Men’s teams
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Vic A – Zachary Anstey, Craig Carter(C), Zankar Pandya, Rhys Thomas, Bruce Carter (NPC)
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Gold
|
|
O/40 Women’s teams
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Vic A – Cheryl Huang, Yoke-Ching Tan, Lydia Liu(C), Niva Udugama
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Gold
|
|
O/50 Women’s teams
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VicA – Aviva Brindley, Melisa Cawood(C), Sarah Grant, Chunyang Ruby Xu
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Gold
|
|
O/65 Women’s Teams
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Vic A - Vicki Carruthers(C), Guiqin Gao, Genevieve Rigot
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Gold
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O/80 Men’s Teams
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Vic A – Bob Bowler(C), Bernard Mick Wright, Igor Klaf
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Gold
|
|
O/60 Men’s Teams
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Vic A – David Brand, Robert Huang, Scott Huang(C), Andrew Cornell
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Silver
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|
O/60 Women’s Teams
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Vic A – Belgin Bennett, Hong Liang, Debbie Wilson(C), Christina Xiong
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Silver
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|
O/70 Men’s Teams
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Vic A – Brian Berry(C), paul Bronstein, Jeff Dever, Mikhail Gellerk
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Silver
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O/70 Women’s Teams
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Vic A – Anne Bellion, Judy James(C)
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Silver
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O/30 Men’s Teams
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Vic B – Anthony Majtlis, Sam Palmer, Tu Pham, Carey White(C)
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Bronze
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O/30 Women’s Teams
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Vic A – Kate Carmichael, Mel Haughton, Kim James(C), Yunzhu Zyana Zhou
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Bronze
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|
O/40 Men’s Teams
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Vic A – Harrison Huang, Frank Pearce, John Salem(C), David Segal
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Bronze
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Individual Events
Following the conclusion of the Team Events, attention turned to the Individual Events from 21–24 October, with players competing across their respective age groups and categories.
Our Victorian representatives continued to showcase their skills, determination and sportsmanship throughout the individual competition.
Victorian Individual Event Results
In the Women’s Singles, Guiqin Gao claimed gold in the Over 70 Women’s Singles and bronze in the Over 65 Women’s Singles. Cheryl Huang also secured gold in the Over 40 Women’s Singles, while Lydia Liu took silver in the same division. Other Victorian podium finishes included Belgin Bennett’s silver in the Over 60 Women’s Singles, alongside bronze medals for Maureen Fischer, Belgin Bennett, Aviva Brindley, Kim James and Yunzhu Zyana Zhou across their respective age groups.
In the Men’s Singles, Zankar Pandya claimed gold in the Over 40 Men’s Singles, while Craig Carter secured gold in the Over 30 Men’s Singles. Mick Wright added another Victorian gold in the Over 80 Men’s Singles, with Igor Klaf, Bob Bowler, Mikhail Geller and Zankar Pandya also earning podium finishes across the various age groups.
Gender & Mixed Doubles Highlights
Victorian players continued their success in the doubles events, collecting medals across the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles competitions.
- Mixed Doubles: Gold medals for Mick Wright in the Over 80 division, Brian Berry and Guiqin Gao in the Over 70 division, Christina Xiong and Robert Huang in the Over 50 division, and Lydia Liu in the Over 40 division.
- Women’s Doubles: Gold medals for Maureen Fischer in the Over 85 division, Christina Xiong and Guiqin Gao in both the Over 60 and Over 50 divisions, and Cheryl Huang and Lydia Liu in the Over 30 division.
- Men’s Doubles: Gold medals for Igor Klaf in the Over 80 division, Clive Sim in the Over 75 division, and Rhys Thomas and Zachary Anstey in the Over 30 division.
Congratulations, Team Victoria!
Congratulations to all our Victorian players, coaches, team management, officials and supporters who contributed to the 2026 National Veterans Championships. Your efforts, sportsmanship and commitment throughout the week were a credit to yourselves and to Victorian table tennis.
A special thank you to everyone who supported our team in Albury and helped make this another memorable National Championships.
To view all the photos from the 2026 National Veterabs Championships, please click here.
