Parsee Gymkhana Extend Winning Streak In 7th All-Parsee Table-Tennis Tournament
Two years of forced hiatus of sporting activity could not deter top favourites – Parsee Gymkhana from bagging and retaining the coveted three crowns – Open Singles, Open Doubles and Team Championship. On 26th February, 2022, table-tennis players and aficionados gathered for the 2-day tourney at Parsee Gymkhana, where the newly re-laid badminton court hosted Zoroastrian Table-tennis players from Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat and Navsari. Players in their pre-teens rubbed shoulders with septuagenarians across six events.
The tournament began with the Open Singles qualifying rounds and Under-14 knockout matches. The major upsets in the qualifying rounds included newcomer Pirhan Umrigar (Bandra) getting the better of Cama Park’s Rayomand Farudi and Pune’s 11-year-old Hormuz Patel shocking Rashid Anklesaria of Godrej Baug. In Under-14 the same Hormuz Patel bagged gold without dropping a game.
The Team events evoked much vocal support amongst spectators. In the first round, Cama Park (Rayomand Farudi, Yezdi Bhumgara and Kersi Parekh) came up against Thane (Percy Patel, Zena Chipia and Shehzad Langrana). In the fifth and deciding match, Zena triumphed over Rayomand to take her team through to the quarters.
The semi-finals between Parsee Gymkhana ‘B’ and Captain Colony was easily the match of the tournament. After CC’s Sarosh Shroff beat Rayomand Marolia in straight games, Arzan Khambatta equalised by outclassing Farzan Malesaria. Farzan then teamed up with Percy Mehta to pip Rayomand and Homiyar Mohta in five, hard-fought games. In the fourth match, Arzan took Sarosh to the decider before bowing out 11-13. In the final deciding match, Homiyar lost to the experienced Percy Mehta.
Jumbled Doubles drew much excitement as the new format saw a different partner in every round. Participants received free T-shirts as well as complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner on both days.
India’s former India No. 2 player (1955, 1957 and 1960) – Baji Khambatta, presided over the Prize Distribution ceremony, recalling several incidents at major international tournaments which held the players and others present spellbound. PG’s Senior Vice President, Khodadad Yazdegardi, under whose tutelage PG has been a force to reckon with in cricket in recent times, advised the players to remain humble and respect their parents, in addition to focussing on the game.
Parsee Gymkhana thanks sponsors – Mitesh Dave, ALCIS Sports for T-shirts; Rishad Byramjee – Casby Logistics; Yazdi Tantra – Chairman, Zoroastrian Bank, Hanoz and Zubin Patel of Power Pusher Financial Services, Shri Bal Vyayam Mandir, Zarine Damania of Phillip Capital India Pvt Ltd and Media Partner Parsi Times.
