by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Both have gained notable international experience in recent years; Ben Gould was a member of the Oceania Team at the ITTF World Cadet Challenge in both Barbados in 2014 and one year later in Sharm-el-Sheik.

Long journeys but few Australians have covered the miles travelled by Rohan Dhooria in recent years.

Alongside Bob Liang, with whom Ben Gould and Rohan Dhooria line up in the Junior Boys’ Team event; just over one year ago he competed in both Qatar and in Bahrain. Later he was present on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in China, the reward for his efforts being an invitation to the 2016 ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals staged earlier this year in the Indian city of Indore.

Similar to Ben Gould, Rohan Dhooria has yet to make an impact on the ITTF World Junior Circuit; however, at continental level, it is somewhat different.

At the 2016 Oceania Junior and Cadet Championships they met in the final of the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Ben Gould prevailed; meanwhile, earlier in the year at 2016 Oceania Championships Rohan Dhooria had progressed to the final of the Under 21 Men’s Singles event where he was beaten by compatriot Erny Tsao.

Australian names to note and there is a New Zealand name that could prove more than a problem for the host nation; it is that of Zhao Yanglun. One year ago at the Luneng 2016 Australian Junior and Cadet Open, he reached the semi-final stage of the Cadet Boys’ Singles event.

In the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Zhao Yanglun is the no.3 seed; Rohan Dhooria and Ben Gould occupy the respective top two places.