Carter

Victory at the Venezuelan Junior Open in the first week of March and a quarter-final place at the Chile Junior Open five days later sees Australia ’s Trent Carter move into top place in the ITTF World Junior Circuit Boys’ Singles Standings. He replaces Indonesia ’s Gilang Malauna in top spot.

First Titles
Trent Carter secured his first ever title on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in early March. In Venezuela Trent Carter beat Brazil ’s Humberto Manhani in the Boys’ Singles final to claim gold.

Latter Stages
Trent Carter reached the quarter-finals of the Boys’ Singles event before losing to the eventual winner, Paraguay ’s Marcelo Aguirre.

Seventeen year old Trent Carter from Melbourne , a city renowned for sport, won the Boys’ Singles title at the Venezuelan Junior Open on Monday 5th March 2007.

In so doing he became the first ever Australian to win an ITTF World Junior Circuit title.

Furthermore, at no stage of the event was he extended the full distance and on the final day of play in Valencia he was in scintillating form.

In the semi-finals he beat Paul Lavergne of France 11-8, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-2 before accounting for Brazil’s, Humberto Manhani, in the final 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8.

The Brazilian had reached the semi-final stage experiencing few problems but booking his place in the last round was full of difficulties. He succeeded but only just, beating the Dominican Republic ’s Juan Antonio Vila in a close seven game duel. Humberto Manhani won 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 3-11, 7-11, 11-6.

Tough
“The semi-final was a really tough match”, explained Trent Carter who had been a member of the Australian team alongside Kyle Davis and Robbie Frank at the 4th ITTD World Junior Championships in Cairo in December 2006, the team gaining a very creditable tenth place.

Backhand Caused Problems
“Paul was good attacking when the ball was half long”, continued the delighted Australian. “I think one of the main reasons why I won is that he had problems when I attacked with the backhand.”

Trent Carter’s backhand is rather different to most, he uses medium length pimples and the ball travels with a low trajectory and minimal topspin, timing the response posed the Frenchman problems.

Pressure
“In the final I tried to keep my services short and I think Humberto felt the pressure”, continued Trent Carter. “Throughout both the semi-final and final I felt I served well, really well.”

Memorable Week
The Australian most certainly had experienced the week of his life.

At beginning of the programme, at ITTF Elite Training Camp that preceded the tournament, he’d advised the 2003 Men’s Singles World Champion, Werner Schlager, how to throw a boomerang. At the end of the week he’d most certainly benefited from the advice given by Werner Schlager on how to hit a table tennis ball so that it didn’t come back!

Well Prepared
“Most definitely I was really well prepared for this tournament”, said Trent Carter. “The training camp was a tremendous help, I was able to practise with good players, that plus the advice really helped.”

It was a day, a week to remember in the life of Trent Carter. “I’m so excited”, he admitted with a smile beaming across his face; he’d every right to be excited.

History
Trent Carter created a piece of Australian sporting history; he was the first Australian to win an ITTF World Junior Circuit Boys’ Singles title and certainly the first who had been a World Junior Boomerang Throwing champion.

In the annals of sport, Trent Carter is unique; there is only one Trent Carter!