麻豆社区

In a battle of teacher versus student, 55-year-old Kevin Murphy came out on top for the second year in a row.

Murphy beat his 20-year-old protege Ryan Bachli in the men's singles final during the Yukon Table Tennis

Championships at Whitehorse Elementary School Sunday with scores of 14-12, 14-12 and 13-11.

It was the first straight-sets victory in the duo's history of championship battles.

"We've played some long sets in the past, but it doesn't get any easier for me,鈥� Murphy told the Star. "I really enjoy playing against him and I think he enjoys playing against me because we bring out the best in each other.

"It couldn't have been any closer. If I had lost one of those games, I think momentum would have shifted to Ryan,鈥� he added. "I was sucking for air, really.

"As a coach and as a guy who's watched him progress, we can have these close matches because I know his game so well.鈥�

Murphy coached Bachli in the 2007 Canada Games and said one of his coaching highlights was watching the youngster win bronze at the 2008 Arctic Winter Games.

"Every time I look at him play somebody else that is a strong player, and he wins against them, I have no idea how I can play so close to him,鈥� the elder statesman admitted. "I think it's just that I know his game that well. It's always been close between us and it could have easily gone the other way.鈥�

Murphy said he countered Bachli's offensive style perfectly in the final.

"He has more shots in his repertoire than I do,鈥� Murphy said. "The difference is that his style of game is all-out offence while I can play many different styles. When I'm playing Ryan, I can't compete with his athletic ability and his around-the-table kind of speed. What I have to do is take the tempo up on the game and try to force the speed a bit on him and apply the pressure that way.鈥�

The match, which marked Murphy's 19th Yukon title, was the highlight of the championships, held over two days this weekend.

"I love the game, I really do,鈥� he added. "Sometimes I spend so much time coaching that I neglect the maintenance of my own game.鈥�

In other divisions, Edna Knight won her 12th title by beating defending champion Xui-Mei Zhang in the women's singles final (11-8, 11-8, 11-3).

Kyle Gonder and Grace-Anne Janssen took home the respective junior boys and girls titles.

Knight and Christina Nie teamed up to take the women's doubles crown, while Murphy and Bachli won gold by going unbeaten in men's doubles.

In team play Saturday, winners were Bachli and Zhang (Div. A), Myrna Bruns and Hassan Rajab (Div. B), and Ashley Harris and Conner Donaldson (Div. C).

Table tennis club president Dave Stockdale said he was impressed with the turnout at the championships.

The longtime city councillor was relieved to see the sport enjoy a spike in interest.

Phillipino and Chinese tournaments held prior to the championships saw local participation in the sport see a "major jump,鈥� with 27 athletes competing over the weekend.

"It was outstanding,鈥� said Stockdale. "The tournament was awesome for me. It was very well-attended and it makes such a difference.鈥�

Stockdale, who is always seeking talent for his Arctic Winter Games teams, said newcomer Ashley Harris has proved to be a "strong prospect鈥� for the junior girls squad.

Nine-year-old Hassan Rajab's upset of powerhouse Gonder in the junior boys round robin also caught Stockdale's attention.

The junior boys division saw 11 players compete, a major increase over last year's three participants. The women's division also saw a large spike, with nine women competing over only three last year.

"We saw more adults out this weekend than normal, but the number of kids coming out has increased as well over the last few months,鈥� Murphy said.

"The sport has a lot of appeal to Asian communities. So with that in mind, Dave decided he was going to run two different tournaments that were basically appealing to those two sections of our multicultural society.鈥�

Murphy said the amount of participation from the Chinese community was "really stellar鈥� and that many of the newcomers had a "great degree of competence.鈥�

"Sometimes it's a case of people don't know what's available in the community,鈥� Murphy explained.

"But if you go out and knock on their doors in the manner that we did and they come out and see what it's about at the club level, then you've made a fan and probably a club member at best. And that continues on and hopefully there's a trickle-down effect.鈥�

It's neat to see that they can walk in and "fill the void鈥� between top of the class and junior players, he added.

With the season now over, Stockdale said many of the young players are interested in one-on-one training sessions over the summer.