By JARROD POTTER
HE might be the lowest ranked athlete in the Youth Olympics’ competition, but Greater Dandenong Table Tennis Association rising-star Dominic Huang will not let that stand in his way at the international tournament.
Huang, 16, from Mount Waverley, is currently in China as he represents Australia in the table tennis competition at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games.
“To make the Youth Olympic team was a dream-come-true,” Huang said.
“I had worked so hard for it and when I made it I was really satisfied and happy…”
He’s played at the association, based at Dandenong Oasis, for three years and progressed rapidly under the tutelage of the coaches at the facility.
Huang credits the move to Greater Dandenong for his improvement as a player – with coaches helping him advance through the ranks and all the way to the peak of Australian table tennis.
After qualifying as one of the top Australian players earlier this year for an Oceania tournament, Huang advanced through to win the second and deciding Youth Games’ qualifier to earn the one male place on the Australian table tennis team.
“To be that one person, I’m really grateful to represent my country and it will always be something that I will bear with pride and passion,” Huang said.
A multiple Australian representative at junior under-15 and under-18 level, Huang is taking his game to the next level at the Youth Olympics. He knows the odds are against him making it past the initial rounds in the competition, but he wants to knock off a couple of big names and impress at the Games.
“The main thing that I’m looking forward to is meeting the different athletes and staying in the Olympic Village… it will be a memorable experience,” Huang said.
“I’m the lowest ranked player there so I have no big dreams that I will win it, as that’s very unlikely, but I hope that I play my best and hopefully get some wins against some better players as everyone going are the best players from their countries and continents.”
Coached in part by Dandenong-based Commonwealth Games representative Heming Hu, Huang has learned off the international representative what it means to pull on the green and gold and earn your place in worldwide tournaments.
“Heming Hu is one of my co-coaches – there are plenty of people at the club to hit with – and he helped me more with the technical side and the mental stuff as he himself is an international player,” Huang said.
“He knows the way to prepare yourself and handle pressure and stress – so he has been a great help as well.”
Huang wanted to thank his coaches, the Greater Dandenong club and his parents for their support in his table-tennis journey.
The Nanjing Youth Olympic Games run from 16-28 August.
