Simon Gerada
Encyclopedia
Simon Gerada is a right-handed Australia
n/Maltese
Table Tennis Player. His father, Joe Gerada, who was born in Malta but immigrated to Australia three decades ago. Simon Gerada was born and brought up in Melbourne, Australia and began playing at the age of 9 after he witnessed his father win a shopping center tournament. With table tennis running through his blood he picked the game up relatively easily, representing Victoria in national junior tournaments. Gerada won the prestigious Michael Szabados award during one of these tournaments.
In January 2001, Gerada returned to Australia. On the same day, he got a phone call asking him to go to a training session. The Australian Team was training for the World Championships and it was in Gerada's Table Tennis Australia contract that he must attend this session. However, after 2 hours he walked out citing that he "could not cope". This compromised his Commonwealth Games position and despite calls from the Victorian Institute of Sport that he should be allowed to represent Australia, the authorities did not back down. Gerada accepted the offer from his father to play for Malta instead.
In Melbourne in 2006, he teamed up with his elder brother Waynehttp://melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=108959 representing Malta
in the ping pong doubles.
However in 2010, he returned to representing Australia
in New Delhi, where, among the four categories he enlisted in, he teamed up with Justin Han in the men's doubles
and pushed Sharath Kamal Achanta
and Subhajit Saha
of India
before losing in full five games at the round of 16.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n/Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
Table Tennis Player. His father, Joe Gerada, who was born in Malta but immigrated to Australia three decades ago. Simon Gerada was born and brought up in Melbourne, Australia and began playing at the age of 9 after he witnessed his father win a shopping center tournament. With table tennis running through his blood he picked the game up relatively easily, representing Victoria in national junior tournaments. Gerada won the prestigious Michael Szabados award during one of these tournaments.
Commonwealth Games and Olympics Controversy
Gerada represented Australia in the Sydney Olympics as a 19 year-old. But an horrendous performance crushed Gerada's confidence, sending him all the way back to Europe, where he had a professional contract.In January 2001, Gerada returned to Australia. On the same day, he got a phone call asking him to go to a training session. The Australian Team was training for the World Championships and it was in Gerada's Table Tennis Australia contract that he must attend this session. However, after 2 hours he walked out citing that he "could not cope". This compromised his Commonwealth Games position and despite calls from the Victorian Institute of Sport that he should be allowed to represent Australia, the authorities did not back down. Gerada accepted the offer from his father to play for Malta instead.
In Melbourne in 2006, he teamed up with his elder brother Waynehttp://melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=108959 representing Malta
Malta at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Malta sent a team of 35 athletes to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.Malta had won two bronze medals at previous Commonwealth Games.-Medals:-Silver:Shooting:-Bronze:Shooting:-Women's:*Caroline Fenech*Kirsten Micallef...
in the ping pong doubles.
However in 2010, he returned to representing Australia
Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.-Medalists:| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|-Diving:Australia's diving team consists of 12 divers-Men:-Women:-Swimming:...
in New Delhi, where, among the four categories he enlisted in, he teamed up with Justin Han in the men's doubles
Table tennis at the 2010 Commonwealth Games – Men's doubles
The Men's doubles competition began on 10 October 2010. There were a total of XX competitors.-First quarter:-Second quarter:-Third quarter:-Fourth quarter:-Semifinals:...
and pushed Sharath Kamal Achanta
and Subhajit Saha
Subhajit Saha
Subhajit Saha is a professional table tennis player from West Bengal, India. He won the men's doubles gold in the 19th Commonwealth table tennis championship held at New Delhi in 2010....
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
before losing in full five games at the round of 16.