Rising star Sophie (12) makes history with an impressive double triumph
AT JUST 12-years-old, Sophie Earley has become the youngest ever Ulster Open Table Tennis Women’s champion — adding the Senior Girls’ title for an unprecedented double.
The Earley family were centre stage at the two-day Lisburn Rackets Club event, supported by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Robinson Ice Cream, with twin brothers Thomas and Zak also featuring in the latter stages amongst over 150 competitors.
Malone College student Sophie, from the Ormeau club, has already claimed several firsts this season, recently spending time in Japan as part of a World Under-13 side competing against Continental Under-15 teams.
However, this Ulster Women’s trophy success was a notable victory, defeating the highly-rated 16-year-old Mia O’Rahilly-Egan (Griffen Valley) in both Women’s and Girls’ finals, while entertaining an appreciative audience.
Gavin Maguire (UCD) clinched the Ulster Men’s trophy for the first time to add to his bulging trophy cabinet, and crowned his day with a title hat-trick.
The popular Irish champion defeated Ulster’s Zak Wilson (Glenburn) in a fast-flowing Men’s final, and added doubles titles with Conor Gallagher (Men’s) and O’Rahilly-Egan (Mixed).
Jimmy Robinson, a former international player for seven years, took Ulster doubles titles in his heyday, and was delighted to be joint sponsor through his Robinson Ice Cream business. Robinson Ice Cream Ulster Open Results: Men’s singles: 1. G Maguire; 2. Z Wilson; 3= T Earley and N Cameron (Scotland) Women’s Singles: 1 S Earley; 2 M O’Rahilly-Egan; 3= R Finn and Z Wawrzyniak Masters: 1. A Robson; 2 P Owusu Men’s Doubles: 1. Maguire/Gallagher; 2. N Cameron/R Farrell
Women’s Doubles: 1. TL Cashman/N Scott; 2. M O’Rahilly-Egan/Z Wawrzyniak
Mixed Doubles: 1. Maguire/O’Rahilly-Egan; 2. Z Wilson/R Finn
Under 21 Men’s: 1. Z Wilson; 2 T Earley Under 21 Women’s: 1. M O’Rahilly-Egan; 2. Z Wawrzyniak
U18 Boys: 1. A Pattison; 2 A McLaughlin U18 Girls: 1. S Earley; 2. M O’Rahilly-Egan Restricted Singles: 1. M McAllister; 2. P Owusu
U15 Boys: 1 D Byrne; 2 J Skelton
U15 Girls: 1. S Heinen; 2. P Ragi
U13 Boys: 1. G Moravcsik; 2. F Hickey
U13 Girls: 1. E Flynn; 2 R Taylor
Hopes Boys: D McFaul
Hopes Girls: A McDonnell