Police Sergeant Dave Newton

Burnley Pennine Division

Main Sporting Field - Table Tennis

This nomination was one of three reports submitted to the Sports and Social Club management committee. A decision to make the award to Ps Newton was announced at the club Annual General Meeting held on 23 February 1999.

Dave, aged 45 years, has served 27 years with the Lancashire force and has played table tennis since he was 12 years of age. He started playing competitively when he was 16 and has represented Lancashire County in the junior, men's and now veterans classes. He has played in a large number of town championships over the years and was ranked No. 10 in the England Junior class many years ago.

Experience gained over 25 years allowed his playing to go from strength to strength and in more recent years he has competed for the force in PAA national championships. In recent years he has achieved the following PAA titles:

Dave receives his award from Chief Constable, Pauline Clare

Men's Open Singles Champion - 1997

Men's Veteran Champion - 1995, 1997, 1998

Men's Doubles Champion - 1997

European Police

His success earned him a place in the PAA European Championships two years running in Belgium and Sweden.

5 Nations

Dave has competed a number of times in the European 5 Nations Championships in Germany, France, Holland and Belgium representing the British Police.

He succeeded in winning the Veteran Singles in Germany in 1995 and won the men's team award in Holland in 1996. In the 1998 event in France, Dave played at no 3 in the Men's Team. The team came 2nd to the winners France. In the doubles event he came 3rd. In the open singles he was in the last 8. (Competing against players half his age!)

World Veterans'

In 1998 Dave competed in the World Veterans Championships at the Gmex Centre and achieved a place into the last 32 in the Veteran Singles competing against the worlds best players.

Organisational Activities

Dave has been secretary of the Indoor Games Section of the force sports and social club for a number of years. He has organised a number of indoor games events each year for fellow members of the force including organising the PAA North West Regional Championships.

Looking Ahead

At present, Dave is currently ranked 3 in the British Police Men's Open rankings. 110 in the National rankings and 17 in the National vets rankings.

Dave tells me that if he maintains his current ranking of 3 he is hoping to be selected again for the European Police Table Tennis Championships being held in Poland in October this year.