A freshman from the Philippines, Jarome de Leon, who happened to walk into the Old Gym on the night of the competition, was the winner of the Oct. 22 campus Ping-Pong tournament.“I didn’t plan on playing Ping-Pong,” de Leon said. “I had no idea there was a Ping-Pong tournament going on. I was on my way to the gym, and it started raining so I went through the Old Gym. I saw there was Ping-Pong going on, and I asked if I could play.”The tournament was set up with four tables and each round was played until one player reached 21 points. Over the past two semesters, the Ping-Pong tournaments have been extremely competitive, said Intramurals staffer Emily Thompson. Thompson, a senior in graphic design from Arizona, said, “I hope everyone has a great time and can improve their Ping-Pong skills. The winner will have to work hard for their T-shirt. No handouts here.”When asked about how he prepared for this semesters tournament, Andrew Monahan, a senior in business management from Pennsylvania, said, “I bought a new paddle. It’s got a spin rating of 92. I did lots of plyometrics. I run up Laie Falls once a week. Honestly, the biggest part of any preparation is getting your mental game straight.”The first match of the evening was between two previous winners: Andrew Monahan and Tugi Batsaikhan. Batsaikhan said he plays Ping-Pong at least twice a week in the hales. When asked why he likes Ping-Pong, Batsaikhan said, “I like Ping-Pong because it’s good exercise. It keeps me active.”After three hours of play, a winner was announced. De Leon was crowned the champ. The win did not come easy. He battled numerous rounds to get his first-place finish, staffers said.There will be another tournament for students during the Winter Semester. Stop by The Hub to sharpen your Ping-Pong game for next semester.
Writer: Reid Crickmore ~ Multimedia Journalist
