October 2nd, 2009

The 2009 Para-Panamerican Table Tennis Championships have just ended here in Maragrita Island, Venezuela. 48 year old, Ian Kent of Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia competed in two events : The Open Men's Singles (encompassing class 6-10 standing players), and Kent's event which is Class 8.

In the Open Singles Ian received a bye in the round of 64 as a result of his top 16 world ranking. In the round of 32 Ian defeated Paulo Salmin Filho, a newcomer to the Brazillian Team 3-1, then went on to the round of 16 defeating Francisco Weligton Melo, Brazillian #1, 3-0. In the quarter final Ian met a familiar face in USA's Mitchel Seidenfeld. Down 2-0, Ian came back to win the next 2 games now tied at 2-2. In the 5'th and deciding game, Ian took early control going up 6-3 as the semi-final looked eminent. However, Seidenfeld chipped away at the lead and Ian could not stop the recovery losing 8 straight points ending his quest in the Open Men's Singles in the quarter finals.

In his Class 8 event the winner would receive a berth in the 2010 World Championships in Gwanju Metropolitan City, South Korea. The event saw 8 players from 6 countries participate in two round robins of 4 where the top 2 would advance to the semi-finals with the winner of group A playing the 2nd place of Group B and vica versa. In group play Ian defeated Argentinian Hector Fernandez 3-1, then Brazil's Fernando Nascimento 3-0, followed by another 3-0 win over Brazillian Paulo Salmin Filho securing a place in the semi-finals where he would play #2 from the other group, Chilean veteran Roberto Morales. Ian crushed Chili`s hopes of Gold winning easily 3-0 advancing him to the finals. As it happens, Joao Fernando Nascimento defeated fellow team mate Francisco Weligton Melo in the other semi-final setting up a re-match between Ian Kent and Joao Fernando Nascimento for a berth in the 2010 World Championships in Gwanju Metropolitan City, South Korea. A pressure packed match it was with the South American crowd strongly supporting Nascimento. However, Ian took a 2 game lead controlling play with a mixture of soft and hard well placed blocks and a superior service game. Ian was one game away from the bye to the World Championships. Nascimento fought back to take the next 2 games. The match standing at 2 games each saw Ian and Nascimento playing very tentatively with a lot at stake. Ian up 5-3 at the halfway point and built an 8-5 lead. Nerves in the air for both players saw Kent close out the match 11-7 and with it winning Panamerican Gold and a bye to the 2010 World Championships.

Ian was the oldest player to win any of the standing classes at 48. When asked about the event he noted "My goal was to win a berth in 2010 World Championships in South Korea. The competition here was intensely close. The temperature in the gym reached near 100 degrees fahrenheit and with my disorder (Dystonia) I am supposed to avoid heat! I wasn`t sure how it would go. I am really glad I trained with my brother Mark in California in similar high temperature conditions the 2 weeks prior and I met my goal. Now it is on to preparing for the Worlds next year. I am very happy with this result. I learned a lot from the Beijing Paralympics. There were things I didn`t do in preparation. I won`t make that mistake again."

Stephanie Chan (BC) missed the qualification for the World Championships but will return to Canada with a Bronze medal.