Raja

• Kye Everingham, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Hi my name is Raja. I love the Commonwealth Games, but what I love most about it is the Table Tennis. I’m eight years old and I’ve been practicing for two years with my Dad. When me and Dad play it’s like a real competition.
It was the afternoon before my birthday and I was practicing table tennis with my Dad. Dad was putting a lot of top spin on me but I stayed strong just keeping the ball over the net. My shot hit the net and made it over. “Fluke shot” Dad said with a laugh.
Night came, then it was my birthday! I came down with a big rush. I opened my presents one by one. When I opened my last present Mum and Dad came down. When they got to me they said together “that’s not the last one, we’ve got two more”. I came outside and saw the best two presents ever. It was a professional bat and a trip to the Commonwealth Games to watch table tennis! I went to Mum and gave her a hug then gave Dad a hug.
When we got to the Gold Coast we went to the arena. We got our tickets and sat down. It was Australia verse Fiji. I was going for Australia because I liked the way they play. The game kicked off with Fiji serving. The game kept on going until it came down to the final round. Whoever won this point would win the whole game. Fiji served with a powerful shot that hit the line. Australia just hit the ball, Fiji hit, then Australia. Fiji hit the ball with spin to the other side. Australia thought it was all over but he jumped, hit the ball which made it hit the other side then bounce off. Australia had won! I was jumping, cheering for Australia.
Two day later, it was my own table tennis competition. It was a round robin. After ten minutes I won my first game. People kept on getting out, but luckily I was still in.
Now it was the final. I was playing Nick. I did a spin serve so it would just make it. Nick hit it back, but then in a split second I powerfully smashed the ball in his side and got the point. The game kept on going on until the last two rounds. I did a sneaky serve that made Nick hit it high in the air, I jumped in the air and smashed it so powerfully that it made it go over the fence line. Nick served then I hit it back. It kept on going on, Nick then me. When the entire crowd thought this was going to be a long round Nick hit the ball in the corner, I thought it was all over but I never gave up. I jumped and hit the ball which hit the other side of the table and bounced off. I was the champion!