The history of Australia's first National Championships discovered

A rich piece of table tennis history has been uncovered dating back to 1933.

The 1933 Table Tennis Carnival (forerunner to the National Championships) was the first of its kind in Australia and was held at the Scot Church Hall in Melbourne.

With 33 players competing across Men's Team, Men’s Doubles and Men’s Singles events, participants represented their respective State – with Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and of course Victoria present at the event. Fittingly, A. Champion took out the first-ever Men’s Singles crown.

These early pioneers laid the foundation for what the National Championships have become today, where more than 800 people typically compete on an annual basis across all age ranges from Under 11’s through to Over 85’s, plus a full quota of Para events.

Take a deep dive into the compilation of results and stories which have been sourced from TROVE - National Library of Australia’s Online Library Database here. 

Special thank you to TTA Board member, Marie Pinkewich, for compiling the information in what is the latest instalment of many historical pieces she has undertaken in recent years.