ATTC Warriors Shine at the 2026 Texas State Championships

Ryan Bhargav

The Austin Table Tennis Club (ATTC) made a powerful statement at the 2026 Texas State Championships in San Antonio. Our members didn't just show up to play; they dominated the podium across veteran age groups, youth divisions, and high-stakes doubles events.

Apex Award: Top Podium Finishers

Our athletes proved their mettle against the best in the state, bringing home an impressive collection of hardware:

• 1st Place Winners:

  
  

  • Tuan-Anh Tran: With a dominant performance in the Over 50 Men's Singles. Tuan-Anh swept the division with a perfect 5-0 record, maintaining his 2218 rating and proving why he is one of the premier veteran players in the region.

    
    

    

    Tuan-Anh Tran

  • Ryan Bhargav: In a massive Under 1500 RR field, Ryan emerged victorious. His 1st place finish was the result of high-endurance play, culminating in a gold medal that capped off a weekend of 20 total matches.

  • Clark Kim & Justin Kim: The father and son "Team Kim" duo displayed incredible chemistry to take 1st Place in Under 3300 Doubles RR. Their coordinated attack was too much for the field to handle.

    
    

  • 

    Justin Kim

    
    

  • Yanyan Hao: Secured the State Title in Over 50 Women's Singles, adding more gold to her ATTC trophy cabinet.

    

    Yanyan Hao

    
    

• The Finalists (2nd Place):

  
  

  • Ellie Kim: Showed incredible poise in the Under 1100 RR, battling through a deep bracket to earn the Silver Medal.

    
    

    

    Ellie and Justin Kim

    
    

• The Bronze & Semifinalists (3rd/4th Place):

  
  

  • Rath Yin: Took 3rd Place in Over 50 Men's Singles, ensuring ATTC had two representatives on the podium in that elite division.

  • Kajal Akhlaghpasand: Secured a 3rd Place finish in the Under 1300 RR, showing great resilience throughout the tournament.

  • Lekha Subbaiah: Put on a strong showing in the Under 1900 RR, finishing in the Top 4 (3rd/4th) against some of the fastest rising players in Texas.

  • Justin Kim: Beyond his doubles gold, Justin added a 3rd/4th place finish in Under 1700 RR, proving he is a threat in both formats.

  • Alan Xian: Reached the Semifinals (3rd/4th) in the prestigious Under 4000 Doubles RR with partner Lia Morales, competing at a very high tactical level.

Rising Stars - Biggest USATT Ratings Gain

The tournament was a breakout event for several members whose USATT ratings saw significant jumps:

• Ryan Bhargav (+120 Points): The club's biggest gainer. By grinding out 12 wins in 20 matches, Ryan vaulted from 1419 to a new personal high of 1539.

• Neeraj Bhargav (+89 Points): Displayed incredible efficiency and "upset potential," climbing to 1456 after a strong 13-match run.

• Nicholas Mickowski (+39 Points): Despite a tough 1-4 match record, his victory came against a significantly higher-rated opponent, boosting his rating to 1679.

Ironman Awards: The Endurance Warriors

A special shout-out to our Ironman Award Winners—the players who showed incredible mental and physical stamina:

1. Ryan Bhargav: 20 matches

2. Akshay Namburi: 13 matches

3. Kajal Akhlaghpasand: 13 matches

4. Ellie Kim: 12 matches

Ryan Bhargav - First Place U1500

Congratulations to all our Tournament Warriors! Whether you brought home a trophy or a new rating high, you represented ATTC with pride and excellence. We’ll see you back at the club—let's keep that momentum going!

ATTC Rating Gains

Name	Start Rating	End Rating	Net Increase
Ryan Bhargav	1419	1539	+120
Neeraj Bhargav	1367	1456	+89
Nicholas Mickowski	1640	1679	+39
Ellie Kim	1060	1086	+26
Justin Kim	1501	1522	+21
Kajal Akhlaghpasand	1218	1234	+16
Rath Yin	1857	1871	+14
Clark Kim	1690	1697	+7
Yanyan Hao	1140	1146	+6
Tuan-Anh Tran	2218	2221	+3
Vidyut Govindarajan	1766	1768	+2