Singing in the Valleys but the Harmony is Female, Not Male Voice
14.09.13 It is the land of rugby union, the land of male voice choirs but one young lady is promoting the female cause. Charlotte Carey is challenging the traditions of South Wales, flying the flag of the dragon and whilst not breathing fire, certainly she is turning up the heat on the international scene. The young lady from Ebbw Vale, deep in the valleys, is setting new standards for girls in the sport of table tennis in the Principality.
Fine Start
At the Brazil Junior and Cadet Open, in Rio de Janeiro on Friday 13th September 2013, she made a fine start to her campaign in the Junior Girls? Singles event. She accounted for the host nation?s Lais Toma in three straight games in her opening encounter in the first phase of proceedings (11-5, 11-8, 11-7).
Notable Achievement
In Rio de Janeiro she is the no.8 seed and that in itself reflects a notable achievement. No other girl from Wales has commanded such a status and a corresponding Welsh boy of such a level? We must go back to Adam Robertson who was the silver medallist in the Junior Boys? Singles event at the European Youth Championships in Bratislava in 2000.
Even Further Back
Perhaps we may go even further back to her coach in Rio de Janeiro, the now 34 year old Ryan Jenkins. He divides his time between playing and coaching; without doubt he is very much the mainstay of current matters in Welsh table tennis.
Mixed Fortunes
A successful start in the Junior Girls? Singles event for Charlotte Carey but in the earlier Junior Girls? Team competition it was mixed fortunes. She joined forces with the Argentine duo of Candela Molero and Maria Harima; a combination of note. It could be argued that Great Britain is still at war with Argentina; following the Falklands War in 1982, 14 years before Charlotte Carey was born, no peace treaty was ever signed! However, in Brazil, the three young ladies were in harmony, no doubt quite oblivious of the quirks of history.
Question of Styles
Alas there was to be no glory with Charlotte Carey suffering defeat against Chinese Taipei?s Chiu Ssu-Hua but gaining success in opposition to Peru?s Francesca Vargas. ?It was so difficult against Chiu Ssu-Hua?, reflected Charlotte Carey. ?Long pimples on the backhand, I could find a rhythm to my play against her; playing Francesca was different, her attacking style of play suited me.?
Only British Player
Furthermore, for the 17 year old, the style of play off adversaries earlier in the year, certainly suited Charlotte Carey, she won the Junior Girls? Singles title and thus became the only girl from Great Britain to ever gain such an honour. In Rio de Janeiro, she is playing in her fifth ITTF Junior Circuit tournament of the year; in addition to Malta, she competed in Sweden, Italy and Canada.
Quelle: ITTF