He led the Oceania team in the World Cadet Challenge in Barbados, and placed 21st out of 32 in the singles. That might not sound flash, but these are the best Under 15 table tennis players on the planet. Ma himself is Oceania's No1-rated Under 15 rep. That includes Australia.
In Thailand he won a bronze medal at the junior and cadet open, one of his best efforts.
Moreover, he is the current Under 15 boys' singles champion from the 2014 New Zealand Junior Open. Going up a level, he took bronze in the Under 18 boys' singles at the same event. This is an exceptional table tennis talent, seemingly unafraid to mix it with older, more experienced players.
Ma explains some of his focus and preparation in this globally popular sport, and yet one that is little known in New Zealand.
"Preparation before the game is very important - a good warm-up and good stretching. You have to just make yourself comfortable before the game. During the game there is one time out and it's a matter of using that wisely and trying to create your own pace through the game," he says. "My mental game isn't so strong, but I'm working on it. It needs improving. I do a lot more on-table work in comparison to my mental work."
That on-table work looks decidedly useful, judging by a quick glance on YouTube. But Ma does his own self-analysis and says he needs to work on fitness and training more and harder. He reckons he racks up about 12 hours a week, but this pales in comparison with his peers in parts of Asia.
Time pressure is now more acute, with a lot more homework and exam pressure in Year 11 than he has been used to. That means taking work with him as he competes around the world.
Table tennis is a very quick sport. A best of five match could be over in around 40 minutes, but the average rally is about three balls. In a tight game, that may go as high as 7-8. Ma likes to attack on the third ball if he can.
Next on the horizon are the junior world champs in Shanghai next month (after exams). He will stay on in China after the event to train (he is of Chinese descent, though born in New Zealand). There he will immerse himself in the Chinese table tennis culture, where there are more players, more structure and just more table tennis. One day he would like to play professionally, maybe in Europe.
In the meantime, he is soaking up as much knowledge as he can from New Zealand's No 1 male Teng Teng (Tony) Liu, with whom he trains every week.
"It's very difficult to play against your coach, just in general because he is your coach. Obviously he's on a different level and he knows me very well and I know him very well."
Westlake is a hotbed of table tennis talent and the sport is firmly embedded in the school's sporting psyche. There are no fewer than 50 teams and more than 200 players.
Ma is the captain of the premier side, where he has played since he started in Year 9. Westlake are the Auckland, North Harbour and three-time national schools champions. Teacher in charge for the last 15 years Mike Lee also takes much credit for his organisation and passion.
Ma was suitably recognised at Westlake's sports awards dinner last week, though he missed out on the overall winner's award to triathlete Dan Hoy.
Ma, with Westlake teammate Victor Pollett, and Auckland Grammar's Dean Shu, are the boys' table tennis nominees for the ASB young Sportsperson of the Year event, at Eden Park on November 20.
