Australia claimed their sixth straight title at the VICTOR Oceania Mixed Team Championships comfortably beating New Zealand 5-0 in the final in Auckland on Sunday.

New Caledonia took the bronze beating Tahiti with a come-from-behind result.

Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo and Gronya Somerville put Australia ahead in the opening encounter, overcoming Edward Lau/Anona Pak in three games. Jack Yu made it 2-0, before Tiffany Ho avenged her loss to Shaunna Li in the individual championships final. Ho won the three-game battle 11-21 21-9 21-10 to seal the tie for Australia.

In the remaining two matches, Somerville and Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo returned for their doubles, with Kaitlyn Ea and Ming Chuen Lim respectively, and the Australians duly completed the 5-0 rout.

Souviat Stars for New Caledonia

Marine Souviat won both her matches to help New Caledonia to a come-from-behind win over Tahiti, 3-2.

Remi Rossi won his mixed doubles (with May Gaymann) and singles, but Tahiti couldn’t hold on to the lead. Souviat, who had won her singles, returned with Dgenyva Matauli to level the score, before Lucas Juillot/Jeremy Lemaitre clinched the tie in men’s doubles beating Glen Lefoll/Kaihei Telefitu 21-15 21-12.

Highlights of the event:

• This is the first time the Oceania Mixed Team Championships have taken place since 2019.
• Australia won their \their sixth consecutive title, and eighth overall.
• This was the 11th edition of the Oceania Mixed Team Championships, which were introduced in 1999.
• Cook Islands and Northern Marianas competed in the Mixed Team Championships for the very first time.
• Cook Islands’ earlier victory over Tahiti saw them take 4th place in their first Mixed Team tournament.