Lucas won 🥇 Gold in the U13 Boys’ Singles, 🥈 Silver in the U15 Boys’ Singles, and 🥉 Bronze in the U15 Mixed Doubles alongside teammate Yelena Yi.
Lucas Alexandre Claimed Three Medals at World Table Tennis (WTT) Youth Contender Mississauga 2026
New Zealand’s Lucas Alexandre delivered an outstanding performance at the WTT Youth Contender Mississauga 2026 in Canada, returning home with three medals across multiple events.
Lucas won 🥇 Gold in the U13 Boys’ Singles, 🥈 Silver in the U15 Boys’ Singles, and 🥉 Bronze in the U15 Mixed Doubles alongside teammate Yelena Yi.
Reflecting on his U13 Boys’ Singles title, Lucas said he was pleased to achieve one of the goals he had set for himself heading into the tournament.
“In the Final I wasn’t able to play my best because I really wanted to win and I made many errors. I’m glad I still managed to find a way to get over the line in the end. I felt relieved to achieve one of my goals which was to win the U13 title,” he said.
Lucas said he was especially proud of his Silver Medal performance in the U15 Boys’ Singles event, where he faced strong international opposition throughout the draw despite being younger than many of his competitors in the event.
“I am most proud of getting 2nd in U15 boys because the level was stronger and everyone is similar in level,” he said.
“I played in a few close matches where I could have lost.”
One of the standout moments of the tournament came during his Quarterfinal clash against leading United States player Jaden Jia. Lucas fought through a tense five set battle to secure the win.
“Against Jaden Jia, one of the top US U15 boys players, both myself and Jaden weren’t giving up,” Lucas said.
“I was leading 2-1 and 8-2. I lost this set deuce because I was feeling too nervous when I was leading and I became scared to lose.”
“In the 5th set I took my time between each point, I was more consistent and I tried to keep attacking.”
Lucas said staying calm during difficult moments was one of the keys to his performances in Canada.
“I took my time between points to calm myself down and it helped me to focus a lot more,” he said.
“During close matches, I did deep breathing to help my nerves. I told myself not to be scared, otherwise I won’t be able to play how I want.”
The tournament also provided valuable international experience for the young Kiwi athlete.
“It was a good experience to compete against some of the top players internationally. I would like to play more,” he said.
Despite his strong results, Lucas believes there is still plenty to improve in his game.
“I learnt that I still have a long way to go. The overall quality of my shots are too low and to compete against stronger players I need to improve.”
Lucas Alexandre & Yelena Yi – U15 Mixed Doubles
Coach Hyo Joo said she was very proud of Lucas’ performances throughout the tournament, particularly the composure and determination he showed during his U15 Boys’ Singles campaign against older international opponents.
“Lucas showed great fighting spirit throughout the tournament,” she said.
“Even during difficult moments, he stayed calm, trusted himself and kept competing point by point.”
“For a younger player to perform so consistently against strong U15 opposition was very impressive.”
Hyo Joo also praised the way Team New Zealand supported each other across the event, saying creating a strong team environment was an important focus throughout the tournament.
“Some players played earlier and some later, but the team remained as one,” she said.
She added, “The players supported each other, helped each other prepare, and created positive energy together. Before matches, the players were always willing to help each other warm up and prepare. A team with strong teamwork will always create better results.”
Team NZ
That support was something Lucas said made a big difference during the event.
“I would like to thank Team NZ first, Eli, Angel and Yelena, because even when they were finished, they stayed behind to cheer me on and support me when it was late,” he said.
Lucas also thanked those who supported him throughout the tournament.
“Secondly I would like to thank Coach Hyo Joo, she always made sure I was organised and prepared,” he said.
“I would also like to thank my Dad and coach for always believing in me when I play and giving me confidence to never give up.”
“Lastly I’d like to say thanks to everyone back home in NZ who sent me messages of support and congratulations. I had too many messages to read and reply to. My dad took away my phone so I’m sorry if I didn’t reply.”
Lucas’ performances in Canada capped off an impressive tournament for the New Zealand team, with the young athletes not only collecting medals and valuable international experience, but also showing the importance of teamwork, resilience and supporting one another on the international stage.
New Zealand Results at WTT Youth Contender Mississauga 2026
🥇 Lucas Alexandre – U13 Boys’ Singles Champion
🥈 Lucas Alexandre – U15 Boys’ Singles
🥉 Lucas Alexandre & Yelena Yi – U15 Mixed Doubles
🥉 Eli Ho – U15 Boys’ Singles
🥉 Angel Han – U15 Girls’ Singles
🏅 Yelena Yi – U15 Girls’ Singles Quarterfinalist