Youth Rules Finish of USA Table Tennis

Monday, Dec. 21, 1998 | 10:11 a.m.

America's future in the olympic sport of table tennis took center stage Sunday as the 23rd USA Table Tennis National Championships ended at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Eleven-year old Joshua Bernstein captured two national titles and 10-year old phenom Mikhail Kazanstev defeated five opponents more than twice his age to capture another USATT Rating event national championship.

Bernstein, of Parkland, Fla., won both the USATT Rating U-1200 and U-1100 titles while the dynamic Kazanstev, who was born in Moscow, Russia and has lived in San Franciso for over seven years, took home the USATT Rating U-1600 crown.

The young duo were part of the National School Championships which closed the event.

David Zhuang won his third Men's Singles title in the last five years and Jun Gao captured her third straight Men's Singles titles to highlight the elite portion of the five-day competition, which was held in Las Vegas for the 21st time in its 23-year history.

Zhuang, N. Brunswick, N.J., defeated Todd Sweeris, Rockville, Md., 21 12, 22-20, 21-15 in the championship finals.

Gao, of Gaithersburg, Md., continued her three-year reign in women's competition, winning the singles' title in straight sets over Tawny Banh, Alhambra, Calif., 21-14, 21-13, 21-13.

Gao has won swept three titles each of the last three year's at the USA Table Tennis National Championships. She also won the Women's Doubles with Virginia Sung and the Mixed Doubles with Zhaung this week.

The 23rd USA Table Tennis National Championships saw 642 participants from 39 states compete in 1,854 matches while aiming for 63 titles in four divisions.