Whanganui man Derek Adamson moved to Auckland to play table tennis

Derek Adamson is in it for the table tennis. Photo / Paul Brooks

Derek Adamson comes from Whanganui, but he moved to Auckland for the table tennis. Now he's back, playing table tennis in the Masters Games.

"I'm originally from England, the family came here in the late 1960s. Dad was a teacher: he was head of English at Collegiate for years.

"It was culture shock when we first came, particularly for a young lad from London in the swinging 60s."

Derek settled in Whanganui until he went to Auckland a few years ago.

"Which was entirely for table tennis. I had played table tennis in England and played a lot here, and had a big break from competition play, came back to table tennis here in 2011.

"By that time there was no regular competitive play and it did frustrate me, immensely. For the first time in my life I made a specific decision to move somewhere, to change location."

Derek had retired by then so moved to Auckland to pursue competition table tennis. He's now 74 and still competing and finds the Masters Games a good test.

"There are six competitive days for me, which is really the biggest block I have in table tennis."

He plays three evenings a week in Auckland.

"I can get as much table tennis up there as I like."

Derek attended the very first Masters Games in Whanganui in 1989.

"I was playing 10 pin bowling then."

There was a 10 pin bowling facility in Rutland St in those days. UCOL now occupies the site.

But these days, Derek's table tennis comes first.