Just 67-years after she began playing table tennis at the Methodist Youth Club in Sutton Bridge, Spalding resident Jean White has finally played in her first world table tennis final.
The 81-year-old, together with partner Betty Bird (83) won silver in the doubles 80-85 category of the World Veterans Table Tennis Championships in Las Vegas.
The pair are currently European champions having won gold in Sweden, but their previous best had been a bronze and in the singles events too, Jean had failed to reach a world final.
Finally, last week, she and Betty managed it.
The championships are dominated by the Japanese and the pair from that country they came up against in the final proved too strong.
But Jean was still delighted with her haul.
“I think this proves that age is just a number,” she said. “Just under 5,000 competitors aged between 40 and 95 playing on 200 tables all in one hall is something to to see.
“I love being a veteran and it’s been an incredible experience playing better players from all around the world.
“The World Championships are a step up from the Europeans.
“Many of the Japanese players practice every afternoon so they dominate the sport, certainly in the ladies.”
After initially playing as something for a 14-year-old to do, Jean played her first league match for Sutton Bridge against Kings Lynn back in 1958.
She’s been playing internationally for years and is a regular member of the England veterans team since 1989.
“I never thought I would be an international player.
“I was just playing local league but thought I’d give it a go and it has grown from there.
“I’ve met some wonderful people through table tennis.
“You go to these tournaments and it is nearly all the same people.
“I’ve made so many friends and everyone supports everyone else.”
Next up for Jean is another shot at the European Championships in Budapest.
They will be looking to land gold again.
Their medal haul is particularly impressive given that Jean and Betty never train together.
Betty lives thousands of miles away in Australia, but the pair click when they come together on the court no matter what part of the world they’re playing in.
“We hit it off straight away when we first met,” Jean explained.
“It’s the same on court every time.”
Jean is a member of the Spalding and District Table Tennis League and maintains that you’re never too old to give the sport a try.
“It’s given me so many opportunities,” she says.
