Table tennis teenager Charlotte Carey is set to be Team Wales' youngest 2010 Commonwealth Games squad member as she was named in their eight-strong squad.

The 14-year-old joins 16-year-old twins Angharad and Megan Phillips in their youthful squad to compete in Delhi.

Coach Ryan Jenkins joked it will be a family affair as his younger brother Stephen will make up the second pair of siblings in Wales' table tennis team.

"Our team is a family affair with great family rivalry," said Jenkins.

Carey, who emulated her mother and grandfather by playing county level table tennis, is likely to be the youngest Welsh team member in the 150-strong in India in October.

The Newport youngster, who only turned 14 last month, is British Schools and Welsh champion and Carey has also won three European junior tournaments.

"I couldn't stop smiling after being named in the squad, I'm really excited," said Carey.

Charlotte Carey started playing table tennis aged just 10

"And maybe being the youngest member of the Welsh team is great.

"It is so nice to be part of such a young an d promising team, we're all like best friends and Delhi will be great experience for all of us."

British champion 22-year-old Naomi Owen, who made her Commonwealth debut at Melbourne in 2006, will join Carey and the Phillips twins in the Welsh women's table tennis squad in Delhi.

The 16-year-olds from Denbigh started playing the sport five years ago after getting a table tennis table for Christmas.

"It is great to have my win sister in the squad," said Megan, who won the Welsh under-18 doubles champion aged just 13.

Player-coach Jenkins will be the experienced mentor of the Welsh squad as he will represent his country in his third Commonwealth Games.

The 31-year-old from Pontypridd won Commonwealth silver at the 2002 Games before striking gold at table tennis' 2004 Commonwealth championship tournament in Malaysia.

Jenkins, the nine-time Welsh champion, will be joined by younger brother Stephen, the 28-year-old who has won two table tennis Commonwealth championship bronze medals, experienced Adam Robertson and youngster Patrick Thomas in the men's table tennis team.

Robertson, 26, is a full-time player in Germany after winning silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester while 18-year-old Thomas got to the last last 16 in the 2008 Youth Commonwealths in Pune.

"We're hoping to get a medal in the men's singles team," said Jenkins.

"But the women's team is a little bit more inexperienced and we want them to do their best and earn a top ten finish as their inclusion is about development as we look to the future.

"We want to give them experience of the big tournaments and the Commonwealth Games is a huge stage.

"The young girls are potentially very good and that is why we have selected them. We believe in them and hope they enjoy their experience in Delhi.

Wales' Commonwealth Games table tennis team:

Name: Charlotte Carey
Date of birth: 11 June, 1996
From: Newport
Event: Singles, team, women's doubles (with Megan Phillips), mixed doubles (with Patrick Thomas)
Achievements: Welsh junior number one

Name: Ryan Jenkins
Date of birth: 20 November, 1978
From: Pontypridd
Event: Singles, team, men's doubles (with Stephen Jenkins), mixed doubles (with Naomi Owen)
Achievements: 2002 Commonwealth Games silver

Name: Stephen Jenkins
Date of birth: 8 June, 1982
From: Pontypridd
Event: Singles, team, men's doubles (with Ryan Jenkins), mixed doubles (with Angharad Phillips)
Achievements: Table tennis Commonwealth championships bronze in 2004 and 2009.

Name: Naomi Owen
Date of birth: 3 June, 1988
From: Llandrindod Wells
Event: Singles, team, women's doubles (with Angharad Phillips), mixed doubles (with Ryan Jenkins)
Achievements: 2009 British champion.

Name: Angharad Phillips
Date of birth: 15 March, 1994
From: Denbigh
Event: Singles, team, women's doubles (with Naomi Phillips), mixed doubles (with Ryan Jenkins)
Achievements: Last 16 Youth Commonwealth Games

Name: Megan Phillips
Date of birth: 15 March, 1994
From: Denbigh
Event: Singles, team, women's doubles (with Charlotte Carey)
Achievements: Welsh under-18 doubles champion aged 13

Name: Patrick Thomas
Date of birth: 29 October, 1991
From: Tredegar
Event: Singles, team, mixed doubles (with Charlotte Carey)
Achievements: Picked for British senior team in European and pro tours

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version