Southland para-table tennis player and SBS Bank Academy Southland member Keegan Jackson will represent New Zealand for the first time at the Oceania para table tennis championships in the Solomon Islands in November.

The two weeks he was asked to keep his New Zealand selection a secret felt like an eternity for Keegan Jackson.

“It wasn’t that long, but it felt really long,” the para-table tennis player said.

“After the phone call I was just sitting beside Mum and we had no words.”

The phone call from Table Tennis New Zealand community manager Jessica MacAskill, one of the best table tennis players to come out of Southland, came as a huge surprise for Keegan.

After all, he’s been playing the game for less than three years, initially as part of his rehabilitation from a 14-hour surgery to mitigate the pain and other issues he faced with congenital scoliosis, a rare and debilitating curvature of the spine.

“I knew that Table Tennis New Zealand had people at tournaments this year and I had a couple come up to me and ask me some questions, but to have that call from Jessica asking if I wanted to represent New Zealand was probably the biggest shock I’ve ever had.”

Asked to sit on the news for a couple of weeks, the first people Keegan and mum Renata told when they were able were those who have been closets during his journey.

“There were a lot of tears. The first people that I was able to tell was my family, we drove home to Gore which is where all my family live. The first stop was my grandparents, they were the ones who were there on day one at the hospital, they’ve been at all the tournaments.”

About 30 phone calls - and a few more moist eyes - later, and Keegan’s extended family were across the news that Keegan had been selected in the New Zealand team for the Oceania Para Table Tennis championships being held in Honiara, the Solomon Island, in November.

The selection, as part of a four-strong team, also opens up the opportunity for Keegan to receive an official evaluation to attain an international para classification, which decides which para classifications he can compete in at big events.

Proud mum Renata, said she was less shocked at the selection, having seen Keegan’s dedication first hand.

“I’m really humbled by the support we’ve had from Table Tennis New Zealand, and from Southland. I’ve been dropping him off to the gym, through Academy Southland, three times a week. He’s starting his days at 5.30am and finishing playing most nights at 9.30pm. I’ve seen the transformation from a very unwell, bed-ridden boy.”

The transformation hasn’t just been physical.

Keegan has made friends and discovered a passion. He’s on the Halberg Foundation’s Youth Committee and is a local ambassador for Inclusive Activity Murihiku.

“Keegan is looked on as a role model for disability and moving forward other kids with a disability will be able to look at Keegs and be able to believe in themselves, because if Keegan can do it from being so low then the world is their oyster.”

Having completed his NCEA studies this year, Keegan will put his focus into preparing for the Oceania event along with his Otago-based coach Ben Duffy.

“I’ve just got to keep an eye on my mental health too, I’ve got to keep eating properly, sleeping properly, getting that fresh air.”

Keegan has recently competed in the New Zealand open  table tennis championships held at ILT Stadium Southland and now has his sights set on the New Zealand Para Table Tennis championships starting in Auckland on Wednesday.

ENDS

Article added: Friday 29 September 2023