"The 2013 ITTF Oceania Regional Para-Table Tennis Championships is the first step towards developing Para-table tennis within our region and is a tremendous opportunity for Para-athletes from Oceania to qualify for the World Championships in 2014," said Peter Marriot, chief executive of Table Tennis Australia.

"I would like to thank the ITTF for their faith and vision to have Oceania become a separate Para-table tennis region."

Among the competitors at the tournament will be Australia's world number two Melissa Trapper.

Trapper finished fourth at London 2012 becoming Australia's best performing Para-table tennis athlete since 1984 gold medallist Terry Biggs.

She will be competing against a host of talent from right across the Oceania Region in a bid to qualify for the World Championships in Beijing next September.

World number two Melissa Trapper will be one of the hopefuls looking to book their place in the 2014 World Championships in Beijing



Speaking ahead of the event, Table Tennis Australia national development and inclusion manager, Sue Stevenson, said that the best players in the region will be descending on Canberra making it an event not to miss.

"This is a really important event as it counts as a qualifier for the World Para Championships in 2014 which will be held in Beijing, China in September," she said.

"Because of this, the best Para table tennis players will be in Canberra so it promises to be a high quality event as intense and competitive as they come."

The singles competition will get underway on Wednesday morning, followed by the doubles and teams competition later in the week.

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