Murdoch’s tip top at table tennis
Table tennis ‘‘veteran’’ Heath Murdoch proved to have the golden touch at the recent New Zealand Masters Games.
The Totata Park resident claimed six gold medals and two bronzes after competing in singles, doubles, mixed-doubles and team events in separate over35 and over-45 competitions in Whanganui.
The 48-year-old motorcycle postie was at the 53-sport, 4000 competitor Masters for the first time.
‘‘They’ve been been on the radar for a few years but I’d never managed to do it,’’ he said.
‘‘Table tennis is really a winter sport and it seemed funny to be training and playing in February.’’
Murdoch’s arrival on the Masters scene follows a long association with the game which began when, as a Whangarei 12-year-old, he randomly picked up a racquet at a camping ground.
‘‘Straight away I found I was quite good so I joined a club.’’
After a family move to Eastbourne he played at Hutt Valley High School and was a regular Wellington age-grade rep until, in his early 20s and with a young family, he gave the game away.
The sport was in the Murdoch genes though with his son Martin taking it up and being good enough to earn New Zealand under-18 selection.
‘‘I found I was travelling with Martin to a lot of events. They mostly had junior and senior play at the same time and I thought that instead of sitting around for eight hours just watching I’d play again.
‘‘So it caught me again and I found I couldn’t stop,’’ said Murdoch who also played cricket into his early 40s.
He has been involved with the Belmont table tennis club, playing in a Wellington premier one title wining team, and is a regular at the Cossie Club on Monday nights.
He regularly plays with Lower Hutt’s Stephen Hirst, a long-time friend met through the sport who played professionally in Germany.
The pair train on Sunday mornings, stepping it up before Whanganui where they combined to win the over-35 doubles.
While satisfied with his success at Whangarei, Murdoch said he was ‘‘one tired man’’ after 60 games in four days.
‘‘I could barely walk, it takes the wind out of you. It’s pretty aerobic and you have to be fit.’’