Other Events | 6 Dec 2015
Gold for LIU Dongshuo and WANG Manyu
Photo: Courtesy ITTF
WANG Manyu became the first player to retain the Girls’ Singles title at a World Junior Championships
Bronze medallist one year ago in Shanghai, LIU Dongshuo climbed two step higher at the 2015 World Junior Championships in the French west coast town of La Roche-sur-Yon. The no.3 seed, beat XUE Fei, the no.5 seed, in an all-Chinese final.
Powerful, athletic, dynamic and above all mentally strong, the 17 year old, who some 15 months ago had won the Men’s Singles event at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour Brazil Open, emerged successful in four straight games (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7).
Success for LIU Dingshuo means that he becomes the seventh player when, at the time representing the People’s Republic of China, to win the Boys’ Singles title.
Winner one year earlier in Shanghai, WANG Manyu wrote her name into the history books of sport. She became the first player to retain the Girls’ Singles title at a World Junior Championships since the tournament was first staged in Santiago in 2003 and the second player to win twice.
She needed the full seven games to secure victory against WANG Yidi and she was required to recover from a three games to one deficit (11-6, 18-20, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4).
