The ITTF Oceania Para Championships concluded yesterday in Auckland, where Australian athletes claim that most qualifying places for the ITTF World Para Championships 2026, while new -Zeeland celebrated strong versions on home base.
The three-day championship, which has been marking the first Para-tennis championship of New Zealand since 2003, supplied intense competition as 48 athletes of eight member associations that fought for direct qualification for next year’s world championships in Pattaya, Thailand. The Paralympic medal winners of Australia, Paris 2024, dominated their respective events, all three qualifying for the ITTF World Para Championships 2026.
Ma Lin (bronze medal winner, Paris 2024) claimed gold in Singles classes of Heren 9-10, where fellow countryman Lucas Heath Milsom 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-9) defeated in the final. The pair continued their success in Doubles, with Ma and Milsom who won the MD14-18 title of men’s extraction.
Yang Qian (gold medal winner, Paris 2024) reached the final of the ladies singles classes 7-10, where she fell for teammate Lei Li Na (bronze medal winner, Paris 2024) 1-3 (8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12) in an all-Australian affair. Lei’s victory provided her qualifying place for Pattaya 2026.
The mixed Doubles events showed the depth of the Australian Para table tennis, in which Ma Lin and Lei Li recorded the right John and Yang Qian 3-1 (13-11, 11-4, 11-2) after the mixed doubles classes, where Lennard defeated the right John and Yang Qian.
Christopher Addis and Lisa di Toro dominated the mixed double classes XD7-10 and beat James Alexander Goulding of New Zealand and Sarah Jayne Julia Clarke 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-3).
Matthew Britz of New Zealand met expectations such as the top seeds in men’s stickers for men 6-7, with which the qualification was obtained for the ITTF World Para Championships 2026. The Paralympic representative won all his group races, including a crucial 3-0 victory.
Other highlights of New -Zeeland were strong performance of Goulding and Clarke in mixed Doubles, while Mark Leigh Gladley claimed silver in men’s singles class 8. The complete Singles Champions, who earned direct qualifying places for the ITT World Para Championships 2026:
Men’s singles:
- Classes 1-3: Chen Junjian (AUS)
- Classes 4-5: Jimmy Huo (AUS)
- Classes 6-7: Matthew Britz (NZL)
- Class 8: Nathan Pellissier (Out)
- Classes 9-10: My Linen (AUS)
Singles for Women:
- Classes 3-5: Lisa in Toro (AUS)
- Classes 7-10: Law Li Na (AUS)
These qualifying places have extra meaning, because the ITTF World Para Championships 2026 will take place during the centenary of ITTF. Under the qualifying system, a top-ranking male athlete from every class and a top-ranking female athlete from every class (exclusive WS1) of the Oceania Championships direct access to the world championships.
With a total of 50 male and 45 female athletes who qualify globally in all five continental championships, the Auckland Champions have protected their places at the most important competition of Para Table Tennis.
The record participation of the tournament of 48 players from eight member associations, including Pacific Island Nations, despite geographical challenges, emphasized the growth of Para table tennis in the Oceania region.
The two-year development program of Table Tennis New Zealand, including classification seminars and educational initiatives, successfully culminated in organizing this championship and offer valuable international competition experience for local athletes.
The ITTF Oceania Para Championships 2025 demonstrated the constant rise of section table tennis after the spectacular success of the sport in Paris 2024 and the re -devised ITTF World Para circuit, which formed the stage for an exciting road to Pattaya 2026.
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