Anguku, Gebauer dominate schools tourney
Silas Anguku and Lian Gebauer emerged as the dominant figures at the recently concluded Arysteq Simonis Schools Table Tennis Tournament at Wanderers Sports Hall in Windhoek.
The fourth event of the season attracted more than 80 players from various schools, competing across the boys’ and girls’ U19, U17, U15, U13 and U11 categories.
Organisers said players were allowed to compete above their age groups based on their ability.
Hage Geingob High School’s Anguku swept the boys’ U19, U17 and U15 categories to walk away with three gold medals.
His U19 campaign began in Group Two, where he was drawn alongside Fynn Koetting, CJ Brandt’s Sakaria Imbondi and Lathanial Fransmann.
Anguku proved too strong for the trio, winning all his group matches in straight games.
He first beat Koetting 2-0 (11-6, 11-3), before overcoming Imbondi 2-0 (11-7, 11-4) and Fransmann 2-0 (11-6, 11-2) to advance to the semi-finals.
Anguku tested
St Paul’s College’s Jason Kadandara provided Anguku with his sternest challenge up to that point in the semi-finals, but the eventual champion held his nerve to win 2-0 (12-10, 11-9).
The final set up a rematch against Imbondi and once again required Anguku to dig deep. After taking the opening game, Anguku dropped the second 10-12 before edging a tense decider to win 2-1 (11-8, 10-12, 14-12).
Daniel Beukes and Kadandara shared the U19 bronze medals.
Anguku completed his sweep in the U17 category, where Kadandara claimed silver and Imbondi and Immanuel Hangula shared bronze.
Beukes took silver in the U15 category, while Simon Boois and Finn Dempsey claimed the bronze medals.
Speaking to Sport Wrap, Anguku credited his friend and training partner Kamrouz Ghayouri and Eliminators Table Tennis Club coach Theo Beukes with helping develop his game.
“I was a beginner [three years ago]. I didn’t know how to play very well. My friend [Ghayouri] taught me how to play. [I also received training] from Coach Theo, who trained us, and I started getting better [after that],” he said.
Gebauer completes double
Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek’s Gebauer completed a double by winning the girls’ U19 and U17 categories.
Her U19 title came after she dominated a five-player round-robin, winning three of her four matches in straight games.
Her toughest opposition came from Ella du Plessis High School’s Karolina Shigwedha, who took the opening game 11-9 to record her first game victory against Gebauer.
Gebauer, however, recovered to win the next two games and take the match 2-1 (9-11, 11-7, 11-6).
She also recorded comfortable victories over Immanuel Shifidi High School’s Ester Shatika 2-0 (11-2, 11-9), Concordia College’s Suvera Ikorua 2-0 (11-2, 11-5) and Loreen Molate 2-0 (11-1, 11-1).
Reflecting on her achievement, Gebauer welcomed the victory and said she enjoyed the competition provided by her fellow national team players.
“It’s always fun to compete against them. I was low-key stressing a bit [when Shigwedha took a game from me]. I can’t lie. It was a tough match, but I eventually won it,” she said.
Shigwedha claimed the U19 silver medal, while Ikorua and Shatika shared bronze.
Shigwedha also finished second behind Gebauer in the U17 category, with Shatika and Ikorua once again sharing the bronze medals.
Other division champions
The remaining podium finishers were:
Girls U15: 1 Suvera, Esther Nelenge, 3 Hamutenya Pauline/Sabina Shaanika.
Boys U13: 1 Terence Kadandara, 2 Immanuel Hangula, 3 Wilhelm Twyman/Immanuel Hishidimbwa.
Girls U13: 1 Sabina, 2 Nelenge, 3 Celine Mbangula/Wilhelmina Shivute.
Boys U11: 1 Immanuel Hishidimbwa, 2 Fortune Mbudje, 3 Mukundi Madzinga/Bampton Jayden.
Girls U11: 1 Nelenge, 2 Sheila Kambode, 3 Mbangula/Victoria Namupolo.
Organisers confirmed that the fifth tournament of the season will return to Wanderers Sports Hall from 17 to 18 July, with entries closing on 14 July.
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