Key points:
- Table tennis player Alfie Linn
has won bronze – the first NZ medal of the Virtus Global
Games 2023. - Virtus is for elite athletes with
intellectual impairment. - The NZ delegation of 10
swimmers, 1 athletics athlete and Alfie Linn competing in
table tennis are in Vichy, France for the Global
Games.
After days of almost-wins for Alfie
Linn, the table tennis player has claimed New Zealand’s
first medal of the Virtus Global Games 2023. Partnering with
France’s Alexandre Sol, the duo seized bronze in the
Men’s Doubles.
A thrilled Alfie
shared:
“I’m so proud representing the New Zealand
team. I feel happy in my heart and making Nelson
proud.”
Alfie is 21 years old and comes from Māpua
near Nelson where he plays with the Nelson Table Tennis
Club. Alfie has Down Syndrome and competes in the II2 group
(see Notes). It is his second Virtus Global Games. He is the
only table tennis player in the New Zealand
delegation.
Head of Delegation Helen Brookes describes
Alfie as ‘a firecracker’:
“Alfie chats to
everyone and just loves to be part of
everything.”
During the week’s competition, Alfie
has come tantalisingly close to medalling multiple times. In
Men’s Singles, he just missed out on competing for a
medal, losing 14-12 in the 5th set, having equalised to 2
sets all after being down 2 sets to love. In the Mixed
Doubles he partnered with a player from the Czech Republic.
They tied in the quarter finals, just missing out on
reaching the semi-finals through countback.
The
athletes played 5 back-to-back matches in scorching
35-degree heat, making the fine margins even tougher than
usual.
After finally claiming New Zealand’s first
medal, Alfie got a hero’s welcome from his Kiwi teammates
at their hotel. Most of the athletes were in their pyjamas
but stayed up to see him before they went to bed.
In
the rest of the delegation, Joshua Lush qualified for the
long jump final with a jump of 6.30m. He competes in the
final tonight. In swimming, Jack Bugler made the final heat
of the Men’s 1500m, placing 13th.
More
New Zealand results.
Competition in the Global
Games began on Monday and finishes
tonight.
© Scoop Media