June 9, 2010
Venerable Australian Once Again the Center of Attention
 Dorothy De Low once again in action at a World Veterans' Championships Photo By: Peter de Low |
Courtesy of ITTF At the World Veterans’ Championships in Rio de Janeiro in 2008, the media flocked for interviews and photographs. At the current World Veterans’ Championships in the Chinese city of Hohhot, which began on Monday 7th June and concludes on Saturday 12th June 2010, she is again the center of attention. |
Dorothy de Low, who hails from New South Wales in Australia, at 100 years of age, is the oldest player competing in tournament.
Gold Medalist
A former gold medalist, in 1992 she won the Over 80 Women’s Singles event at the World Veterans’ Championships and in Hohhot she plays in the age group yet again.
She opposes players some 20 years her junior!
Interview
Quite remarkable and the Xinhua News Agency was quick to request interview Dorothy de Low but in the report there is a slight error.
She was the oldest volunteer at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 not in 2004 as reported below. In Sydney she played a special challenge match against Australia’s most capped table tennis player, Paul Pinkewich, like Dorothy de Low, he is on duty in Hohhot.
Xinhua News Agency
HOHHOT, China, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Delow Dorothy, a 100-year-old paddler, came out the oldest player to take part in the 15th World Veterans Table Tennis Championships slated here on June 7-12.
Dorothy caught people's attention on Monday as the 100-year-old, the oldest among over 2000 athletes in the veterans worlds, performed quite well, adroitly answering the balls with tricky angles.
A Guinness World Record holder as the oldest athlete, Dorothy was also the oldest volunteer at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2004.
Living in Australia's Hurstville, Dorothy fell in love with table tennis at the age of 50 and joined a local club for practice.
Players here in her group were all over the age of 84. Dorothy won a game and lost the other in the first day qualification on Monday.
"I think it's wonderful, making a lot of friends," said Dorothy.
She has won everyone's respect and love, and was the biggest star in Monday's competitions. Many fans asked her to take group pictures and for signatures.
"I feel like a film star!" She said.
Dorothy is a member of an above-70-year-old women's table tennis team which frequently participates in competitions back in her home country.
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