Two Durham Region table tennis players shared a golden moment today at the Ontario 55+ Winter Games today.
Bruce Clark, from Oshawa, and Dorothy Ansell, from Bowmanville, won the gold medal Thursday in the 65+ mixed division category.
Ansell, 86, has been playing the sport since she was about ten years old. Clark, 75, picked it up more recently in retirement.
"It keeps me fit and active," Ansell said. "I think that's important when you get older."
Clark, who played basketball and badminton for most of his life, also picked up table tennis to stay in shape.
"My knees are basically shot," he explained. "But this doesn't really put a lot of load on the knees. It's a low-impact sport."
While the sport is often played for fun, it can also be ultra-competitive, Clark says.
"My wife and I are playing in a tournament this summer in Rome," he explained. "We will be playing with 6,100 other players who are as old as 90. It can be very competitive."
While the sport is often exciting, Ansell says it can sometimes be stressful.
"I play with no expectation of winning," she said. "I like to just play for fun. That way it's always a bonus when you win."
Clark and Ansell were paired together for the Winter Games by their local clubs as the best possible duo from the district. Clark can put a good spin on the ball, while Ansell is a mistake-free player, they explained.
"I've learned how to handle good spins from other people and how to keep focused," Ansell said.
"I think what I bring to the table is great defensive play which is also all about focus and concentration," Clark added.
Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988. Ansell says it's a sport that anybody can play but takes a great deal of athleticism and is a great exercise for the body and brain.
"You got to be able to move," she said. "Hand-eye is also very important and you have to be able to think ahead while keeping your focus," Clark added.
The new Winter Games champions are proud to be bringing back their gold medals to Durham Region.
"It's very exciting and surprising that we won this tournament," Ansell said. "At my age, I never expected to be in this position to come here and win."
Clark says the competition was fierce, especially in the final round when they played a duo from Waterloo.
"It was a lot of fun," he said. "Every shot could make or break the game."
Clark and Ansell will move on to playing in the Canadian championships this summer in Quebec City.
