Grantham’s Joe Marlor, 18, clinches third in prestigious virtual table tennis contest

A teenager has batted away the virtual competition to secure a bronze medal in the e-Olympics of VR table tennis.

Grantham's Joe Marlor, who goes by the gaming handle HurricaneTT, has taken a third-place position in the European Virtual Table Tennis Championship final in Dusseldorf.

The 18-year-old started competing in virtual reality (VR) table tennis over two years ago.

Ranked seventh globally, he reached the semi-final on January 13, losing three sets to Nating, the world number two.

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His success saw him take home a €420 prize pot.

“It was an amazing experience,” he said.

“I performed really well, and it was overall very good.”

Joe, a full-time pupil at King’s College studying maths, chemistry, and biology, and a member of Grantham Table Tennis Academy, has been actively participating in Eleven Table Tennis on Virtual Reality Headsets.

He has played table tennis in real life since the age of 12 and reaching the highest levels of both junior and senior tournaments for the county.

However, he started playing ElevenVR on his Quest 2 in December 2021.

Recently obtaining the latest gaming gear with the Quest 3, he notes that the virtual experience is remarkably realistic and comparable to playing in real life but that there are some minor differences.

The European Virtual Table Tennis Challenge, organised by the French Table Tennis Association with support from Eleven Table Tennis, saw Joe competing against players from across Europe.

The virtual tournament ran from October 22 to November 19, concluding in Dusseldorf on January 13, 2024.

With 512 players over the whole event, the top 128 received prize money – but only 16 travelled to the final event.

Joe's success extends beyond personal achievements, as he actively engages in coaching, aiming to help others improve their virtual table tennis skills.

Despite his virtual triumphs, Joe emphasises the importance of a balanced lifestyle, encouraging players to engage in physical activities and socialise.

“I think it's good in moderation to be able to play video games, but you’ve got to do physical activities as well,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s good to be just on a game all the time, and talk online; you’ve got to get outside and socialise, otherwise it’s not as beneficial.”

For those interested in witnessing Joe's prowess, all matches from the round of 16 onwards were streamed on ETTU.tv, showcasing the skill and sportsmanship of virtual table tennis players.