The fourth Austrian Bundesliga crown run for Felbermayr Wels is complete. PARK Ganghyeon sealed the title with a 2:0 win over Stockerau’s Khalid ASSAR, bringing the score to 3:1 and paving the way for a 4:1 final in the Bundesliga. The superstar, specially flown in from South Korea, had already won the opening singles against David SERDAROGLU and the doubles match alongside Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK. Then the celebration began — championship T-shirts were out! PARK Ganghyeon was the undisputed hero of the final: he opened the tie with a 3:1 win over David SERDAROGLU, later won the doubles with KOLODZIEJCZYK, and finally clinched the decisive match against Khalid ASSAR, taking the first game 11:0. “He played outstandingly. We want to keep him in Wels for the long term,” said Wels team manager Bernhard HUMER. Photo by: Hubweber The fourth point for Wels came from Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK, who staged two impressive comebacks against Aidos KENZHIGULOV. He turned around the first game from 4:9 and the second from 2:6, eventually converting his second match point with a spectacular counterattack for a 3:1 win. “I often struggle with slow starts, but the crowd lifted me. I knew AIDOS was known for retrieving everything,” said KOLODZIEJCZYK. “Maciej played some unbelievable balls — it was a treat to watch,” praised Bundesliga director Günther RENNER. Khalid ASSAR secured the only point for Stockerau by defeating Andreas LEVENKO in the deciding fifth game with a 6:0 shutout. “Such a short decider might be entertaining for spectators, but it feels like a coin toss and has no place in professional sport,” said LEVENKO, who now leaves Wels to join Ochsenhausen in the German Bundesliga. Wels team manager Bernhard Humer was elated: “We made history by winning both the upper and lower playoffs — for the first time ever. I’m extremely proud.” Looking ahead, Julian RZIHAUSCHEK will transfer to Sparkasse Salzburg this summer, while David SERDAROGLU is stepping back and will voluntarily play in the lower playoff next season. Men’s Bundesliga Final Felbermayr Wels – Panaceo Stockerau 4:1
Europe’s Brightest Young Talents Gather in Havířov for Eurotalents Selection Camp I
The international Eurotalents Selection Camp I for boys and girls born in 2013 or later is currently underway at the National Training Center in Havířov, running from April 24 to May 2. A total of twenty-three boys and fourteen girls from fourteen European countries are participating. Including coaches, the camp brings together sixty-three participants. The primary objective of the camp is to identify five of the most talented boys and five girls who will be invited to the upcoming Development Camp. The head coach of the camp is Renáta ŠTRBÍKOVÁ, supported by Marek ČIHÁK and Radek KOŠŤÁL as assistant coaches. Patrik KAIZAR oversees fitness training, while Croatian coach Zvonimir KORENIC is attending on behalf of ETTU. In addition, national coaches from the participating delegations are also present, meaning nearly twenty coaches are fully engaged in developing and evaluating Europe’s young table tennis talents. According to assistant coach Marek ČIHÁK, the level of play is traditionally strong: “It’s true that some top players, such as Hungary’s Lizet FAZEKAS or the Czech Republic’s top player in this category, Adéla BRHELOVÁ, are not here—similar situations apply on the boys’ side—but we still have a lot of work ahead of us to select the very best,” said ČIHÁK. The camp continues in full swing, providing young athletes with valuable experience, high-level coaching, and the opportunity to advance to the next stage of ETTU’s talent development pathway. Photo by: Jaroslav ODSTRCILIK
