keeps top spot

New Caledonia keeps top spot in table tennis

SOUTH Pacific table tennis cham pions New Caledonia cruised comfortably to good wins during a short tour of Fiji this month.

The tour, sponsored by their govern ment, was part of their preparation and build up to the 1991 South Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea later this year.

They won 5-0 against a Fiji B Selection team, beat a Fiji Invitation team then edged out a Fiji Selection team 5-4 in their final show.

Coach/manager Remy Quinne said

they were satisfied with the level of competition they received and hoped to invite Fiji for a few games in Noumea in July.

“We are happy with the outcome of this tour. We realise that the Fiji Table Tennis Association is very poor and we appreciate the trouble they took in making us feel comfortable here,” he said in Suva after the tournament.

The Fiji table tennis body, which is currently on an intensive campaign to revive the sport, are conducting regular meetings as part of their buildup to the

Spg.

They had been promised assistance by the government in promoting the game among youth.

Fiji vs New Caledonia results: Stephane Morriseau (NC) beat Tony Ho 21-18, 21-16; Dr Balram Sainath (Fiji) beat Remy Quinne 23-21, 21-16; Oliver Quack beat Norman Joe 21-13, 23-25, 21-19; Tony Ho beat Quinne 12-21, 21-11, 21-18; Morriseau beat Joe 21-12, 15-21, 22-20; Dr Sainath beat Quack 21-16, 22-20; Joe beat Quinne 21-17, 24-22; Quack beat Ho 21-10, 21-11, 21-9; Morriseau beat Sainath 21-4, 15-21, 21-15. □