2016 Rio Olympic Games   Germany has clinched Bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Table Tennis Men’s Team event after defeating Korea Republic 3-1. Both teams have claimed team medals since Beijing 2008 when the Team event was first incorporated into the Olympic Games. In Beijing Germany took Silver while Korea settled for Bronze it was the reverse case in 2012.   Korea Republic’s JEOUNG Youngsik caught up in a tight opening match against world number 24 Bastian STEGER in a five-games duel. JEOUNG survived the scare from the lower ranked STEGER having to save three match points to finally win 3-2 (12-10 6-11 11-6 6-11 13-11) in the decider.   The world number twelve was having the tournament of his life at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games putting up a strong fight against eventual Champion MA Long (CHN) in the Singles event and coming close to defeating Grand Slam Champion ZHANG Jike in the Team semifinals encounter between China and Korea Republic.   After his shock early exit earlier in the Games to miss out on a Singles medal London 2012 Singles Bronze medalist Dimitrij OVTCHAROV has his eyes set on the Team Bronze today beating Korean veteran JOO Saehyuk 3-2 (11-5 11-9 8-11 2-11 11-6) to level Germany’s score 1-1 with Korea.   Losing his Singles match STEGER teamed with former world number one Timo BOLL to play against Korean pair of JEOUNG and 2013 World Mixed Double runner-up LEE Sangsu. Suffering from a dislocation of a bone is his neck following a bad fall in the match BOLL came back to the court after having pain killer injections during the injury time-out. The German pair eventually prevailed 3-2 (9-11 11-6 11-7 9-11 11-9) in the thriller.   BOLL continued his winning form in the fourth match beating JOO 3-0 (11-8 11-9 11-6) to seal the deal for Germany to for another podium finish.   “Oh my god. Such a thriller. First game was so exciting. We had to keep on believing we could win” stated the German flag bearer at the Rio 2016 Opening ceremony. “I had an injury during the doubles and had to take injections in the injury break. My mind was focused on just keeping the ball on the table. It was a team effort we had great spirit.”   The world number thirteen added “I was in a lot of pain and I was scared I could not play in the singles. Injections helped a lot. In the end it was very nice to get the medal.”   “It is a great feeling as you never know if it’s your last game. Emotional win. Could be last Olympics as you don’t know what happens in the future. Tokyo is a long way away!”   Claiming Germany’s second table tennis medal in Rio after the German women’s team clinched Silver last night OVTCHAROV shared “No one expected we can do it. Three medals in a row we did it for Germany.”   “Bastian played the match of his life we were shock when he lost. I said I had to do everything for the team. Thankfully Timo played brilliant in the end.”

The Chinese women’s team have successfully defended the Gold title they earned four years ago in London to clinch another Gold for China’s medal count crushing Germany 3-0 in the final.   Grand Slam Champion LI Xiaoxia ended her international table tennis career in style continuing her 3-0 (11-9 11-3 11-7) swept against HAN Ying (GER). The world number four have previously announced her retirement from international play after her semifinals match against Singapore.   LI have shared earlier “The Women’s Team final might be the last time I’m representing my country to compete. My goal will be to win but the most important thing to show my best self on court.”   The 28-year-old has not dropped a single game since the Team event started and even in the Singles event the Singles Silver medalist has only dropped four games to the eventual Champion DING Ning (CHN) throughout the entire Olympic Games in Rio.   Missing out on the Singles event world number one LIU Shiwen (CHN) was on task to stamp her authority in the team event. The four-time Women’s World Cup Champion gave no chance for Petrissa SOLJA (GER) to fight back defeating the world number fifteen 3-0 (11-3 11-5 11-4) to give China a 2-0 lead for her first Olympic Gold.   LIU joined forces with Singles Champion DING Ning (CHN) to face German pair of SOLJA and SHAN Xiaona. The German duo put up a brave fight but the combination of the world number one and two proved too strong for them and China prevailed 3-1 (11-6 11-5 9-11 11-7) to seal the victory in the Gold medal match.   Winning her first Olympic medal in Rio an excited LIU shared “It’s a dream for everyone to win an Olympic medal so this is perfect.”   DING added “We are a team so we do everything together and trust each other. Sometimes at this level we don’t think we just play.”   Despite losing the Gold medal Germany has secured the Silver medal which is Germany’s first Women’s Olympic Table Tennis medal and first for Europe since Seoul 1988.   The Bronze medal went to Japan who defeated Singapore 3-1 earlier today.   More table tennis action continues with the Men’s Bronze and Gold medal matches to conclude the Rio 2016 Table Tennis event.

Gold for China at 2016 Rio Olympic Games   Since the Team’s Event has been introduced at the Olympic Games only one nation wins gold in Women’s tournament. Successful in Beijing and London; at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games the top seeds China once again struck gold. In the final DING Ning LI Xiaoxia and LIU Shiwen prevailed against the third seeded German trio formed by HAN Ying SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA.   China won by three matches to nil and thus maintained their stunning record in the Women’s Team event at an Olympic Games; they have never at any stage of the competition since introduced in 2008 lost an individual match. On the other side Germany become the first non-Asian trio to win a medal in the Women’s Team event at an Olympic Games   LI Xiaoxia the silver medalist earlier in the proceedings in Rio de Janeiro in the Women’s Singles event faced the backspin skills of HAN Ying and recorded straight games win (11-9 11-3 11-7). LIU Shiwen stayed on the same path against Petrissa SOLJA; she emerged successful in three straight games (11-3 11-5 11-4)   DING Ning and LIU Shiwen faced SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA; the German duo won the third game and in the fourth when reducing the gap to one point at 7-6 down caused KONG Linghui the Chinese Women’s Team coach to call ”Time Out”. The wise words worked. DING Ning and LIU Shiwen obeyed orders to win in four games (10-6 11-5 10-12 11-7).   China have won the Women’s Singles title on all eight occasions and now the Women’s Team title on all three occasions when the event have been staged. Also they won the Women’s Doubles title four times. It is only in Seoul in 1988 when they did not complete the clean sweep; on that occasion they had to settle for silver. CHEN Jing and JIAO Zhimin were beaten in the Women’s Doubled final by Korea’s HYUN Junhwa and YANG Youngja.  

  The Japanese trio of Ai FUKUHARA Kasumi ISHIKAWA and Mima ITO are the Rio 2016 Olympic Table Tennis Women’s Team Bronze medalists after a 3-1 victory over Singapore.   With her victory ITO is now the youngest ever medalist to be awarded at an Olympic Table Tennis event at 15 years and 300 days old (including Youth Olympic Games). The achievement was previously held by China’s GUO Yue when she won claimed the Women’s Doubles Bronze with NIU Jianfeng (CHN) at Athens 2004 at the age of 16 years 1 month and 3 days old.   Four-time Olympian FUKUHARA (JPN) took on the first singles match against Singapore’s YU Mengyu. The opening match was a thriller with the momentum in the match alternating between the world number eight and thirteen. The lower ranked YU was the victor in the decider taking the match 3-2 (4-11 11-5 11-3 4011 11-5) to give Singapore a 1-0 lead in the battle for Bronze.   ISHIKAWA (JPN) faced off her longtime rival FENG Tianwei (SIN) again on the Olympic stage. Back at the London 2012 Olympic Games both players competed in the Singles Bronze medal playoff with FENG winning 4-0 to take home the medal. Having a 4-9 victory record against the world number four ISHIKAWA was on fire today smashing the 2010 World Team Champion 3-0 (12-10 11-6 11-7) to level the match 1-1   In the crucial doubles match FUKUHARA teamed up with 15-year-old ITO to give Japan a 2-1 lead over Singapore by defeating the Singapore pair of YU and ZHOU Yihan 3-1 (9-11 11-9 11-1 14-12).   ITO was the hero of the day for Japan as she upset FENG in three straight games () to seal the final victory for Japan to clinch Bronze which put all three girls into tears.   “As we worked as a team we could win. I could not win the first game. Without my team it would not have happened. I am forever in debt to them” stated FUKUHARA in tears of joy after finally securing a Rio 2016 medal.   The 27-year-old who lost her Singles Bronze medal match to KIM Song I (PRK) added “Every single moment was so important. All the matches in the tournament and matches in the past. Ito and I have been playing doubles well together. We tried to refresh after Germany. It meant to much to have her play with me. It is very important to have her in the team.”   Contributing two points for her team victory ITO stated “I am just happy to win the medal. Before I played Fukuhara and Ishikawa played well. It was because all of us that we got this medal not just my performance.”   “I am looking forward to getting home and showing my medal to my family and supporters.”

Japan the no.4 seeds with Jun MIZUTANI Koki NIWA and Maharu YOSHIMURA upset the order of merit to beat the German outfit comprising Timo BOLL Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Bastian STEGER the no.2 seeds in the semi final of the Men’s Team Event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games – 3-1.   Maharu YOSHIMURA faced  Men’s Team silver medallist in Beijing and bronze medallist in Men’s Team and Men’s Singles in London 27 year old Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in the opening duel of the contest. OVTCHAROV emerged successful to record a straight games victory (11-8 11-3 11-3).   German coach Jörg ROSSKOPF explained:   “We expected Maharu YOSHIMURA to play first it was no surprise; a turning point came in the match between Timo and Jun. Timo led 7-2 in the first game and lost from then on Jun played fantastically. He was much better playing short short and that meant he could make the opening and put pressure on Timo. Today Jun played incredibly well he is playing the best of his life.”   In next match Jun MIZUTANI who he had won bronze in the Men’s Singles event faced Timo BOLL and won in straight games games (11-9 11-6 12-10). The doubles duel concluded in similar vain.  Timo BOLL and Bastian STEGER suffered by the hands of Maharu YOSHIMURA and Koki NIWA in four games (11-6 13-15 11-4 11-5).   “Sure we knew the doubles was not in our favour but the defeats against Chinese Taipei and Austria had been very close so I decided not to change. We had a little chance but we were well aware that we had to win the singles matches” said Jörg ROSSKOPF.   Jun Mizutani won a three straight games (11-5 11-4 11-4) against STEGER to help Japan win a first ever medal in the Men’s Team event in the table tennis competitions at an Olympi Games was assured   Japan advances to the final Germany to the bronze medal match; both contests will be played on Wednesday 17th August; the former at 11.00am the latter at 7.30pm.   “Japan played well congratulations to them. Now we focus on the Bronze medal” added Jörg ROSSKOPF.  

Top seeded China which the Singles Gold and Silver medalists in their line-up is heading their way into the Women’s Team final to face off surprise finalists Germany to defend their title. The Chinese team made up of world number 1 LIU Shiwen and two Grand Slam Champions DING Ning and LI Xiaoxia smashed their way to the final with a convincing 3-0 victory over Singapore.   Despite FENG Tianwei’s (SIN) brave performance in the opening match the world number four lost 0-3 against the Rio 2016 Singles Silver medalist LI Xiaoxia (CHN) in the opening match which was crucial if Singapore was going to repeat their 2010 World Team Championships final victory over China.   After the match the London 2012 champion stated: “It’s not an easy match I had to catch up for two of the games. I didn’t expect to win 3-0 I was just trying to playing each match to the best I can.”   “The preparation process is grueling. We didn’t play any matches yesterday so we were preparing the whole day you don’t know what exactly will happen on court the only thing we could do is to be positive and enjoy the process. It was better after we came on court.”   “Tianwei and I played in the same club in the Chinese Super League for years and we won the Gold few time together off court we are good friends. After I lost the singles final she also texted me to show encouragement. It’s normal for us that we remain good friends off the table but we compete our best level on court that’s the beauty of competitive sports.”   In the second match 22-year-old ZHOU Yihan (SIN) managed to secure a game against Rio 2016 Olympic Champion DING Ning (CHN) but the world number two’s class prevailed in the end winning 3-1 to put China in a commanding 2-0 position.   China’s devastating performance continued in the doubles where LIU Shiwen team up with DING Ning to outclass the Singaporean pair of YU Mengyu and ZHOU Yihan 3-0 to clinch victory and set up a date with Germany to battle for gold tomorrow at 19:30 Rio time (-3 GMT).   On China’s match against Germany LI Xiaoxia stated: “I have full faith in our team of course we want to win but thinking is not enough so we have to go back and study the Germany team thoroughly.”   “The overall strength of the German team is strong with the line-up of HAN Ying SHAN Xiaona and Petrissa SOLJA so we have thought that they will reach the final. For our team it doesn’t matter who our opponent is we just have to play our best.”   “The Women’s Team final might be the last time I’m representing my country to compete. My goal will be to win but the most important thing to show my best self on court.”   Singapore must now regroup before their bronze medal match against Japan tomorrow at 11:00am Rio time.

A busy time in the main arena at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games behind the scenes there is also plenty of activity with a range of meetings being on the agenda.   One of the most significant was held on Sunday 14th August when ITTF Continental Development and ITTF Continental Affiliation Agreements were signed.   The agreements are for the Olympic cycle from 2017 to 2020; they enable the continents to facilitate long term planning whilst giving surety of budget.   “It is a formal recognition of the continents; it gives them more say in organising their various programmes it gives autonomy” said Glenn TEPPER ITTF Deputy Chief Executive Officer.   ETTU and ITTF already established very good colaboration in that field. .   “I am happy to continue the very good co-operation. It is an investment for the future it will help our Eurotalents programme” Ronald KRAMER President European Table Tennis Union   “The new agreement gives us more possibilities especially to develop in the various regions” Khaled EL-SALHY President African Table Tennis Federation   “The level in many parts of Asia is high we have a great deal to offer in developing our sport further” CAI Zhenhua President Asian Table Tennis Union   “It means a great deal for Latin America it will help us reach our main goal which is to reduce the gap between Latin America and Europe and Asia.” Juan VILA President Latin American Table Tennis Union   “The United States and Canada have very young players right now we want to try to get them closer to the best in the world; also we have the US Virgin Islands and Bermuda who are in the development stage” Tony KEISENHOFER President North American Table Tennis Union   “We have many small associations the agreement helps up to promote table tennis throughout our regions of the world; we can take initiatives that otherwise would not have been possible” James MORRIS President Oceania Table Tennis Federation

2016 Rio Olympic Games   Two times Germany was in the lead two times Japan nullified their advantage but in close decisive match HAN Ying beat Ai FUKUHARA to sealed epic thriller. At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Germany won the first medal in the Women’s Team’s Event. It is first medal for European women in all three events (Singles Doubles and Team’s) after Yugoslavia’s pairings Jasna FAZLIC and Gordana PERKUCIN won bronze at the at the inaugural table tennis Olympic tournament in Seoul 1988. Germany will play for gold against the winner of the match between China and Singapore.   Petrissa SOLJA gave Germany a dream start after very close victory over Mima ITO 2-2 (5-11 11-4 8-11 11-6 12-10). Japan continued to struggle in the next duel between Kasumi ISHIKAWA and HAN Ying. HAN was two games up before Kasumi recovered. She won next three games in the row.   “We all played with our hearts. We are super happy and can’t believe it. They were favorites going in. My head is spinning and I can’t speak my thoughts are everywhere. We needed a bit of luck and play or best to have a chance” said Petrissa SOLJA. “Before we came here we wanted this medal so bad. When we saw the draw we knew it was possible. We played perfect.”   In doubles SHAN Xiaona and SOLJA pushed Germany ahead once again in another full five games match but Kasumi ISHIKAVA needed only three games in next to secure the decisive match. HAN Ying sealed the encounter.   Germany suffered defeat at the quarter-final stage four years ago in London at the hands of Japan.

2016 Rio Olympic Games   The bronze medal winners in London 2012 are one step closer to the medal rostrum in the Men’s Teams Event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Tonight they overcame the reigning European champions  Austria. Germany will meet Japan in the match for final.   Timo BOLL Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Bastian STEGER all three secured the victories in their singles matches. Germany only failed to score in the doubles. The Men’s Doubles title winners at the 2012 European Championships staged in Herning Daniel HABESOHN and Robert GARDOS beat STEGER and BOLL.   In the opening match of the contest BOLL beat Robert GARDOS (14-12 11-8 12-10) before OVTCHAROV Prevailed against Stefan FEGERL in three straight games (11-7 12-10 11-8).   “Timo had beat Robert GARDOS in the European Olympic Games qualification tournament in Halmstad; in the first game he was game point down he had an edge. We knew Dima was in good shape so we were confident.” said coach Jörg ROSSKOPF.   In third singles match STEGER overcame FEGERL.   “We knew how to play against Stefan how to receive his service; Bastian is now playing at a higher level and consistently at a higher level. We have three good singles players in the team” added Jörg ROSSKOPF  

2016 Rio Olympic Games   In the semi final of the Men’s Teams Event China will meet Republic of Korea. That is the outcome of today’s first part of the program in the Riocentro Pavilion 3 at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.   In the quarterfinal top seeded China halted the progress of the World Championships’ bronze medalists. Great Britain failed to score against the favorites.   Coach LIU Guoliang praised his adversaries efforts: “The three members of the Great Britain team has been playing well this year including the World Team Championships in Kuala Lumpur and here at the Olympic Games they have really surprised many with their performance.”   MA LONG beat Liam PICFFORD XU Xin prevailed against Paul DRINKHALL and China’s pairings ZHANG Jike and XU Xin overcame Samuel WALKER and DRINKHALL. All three matches conculded in four games.   “Today even though Ma Long and I both lost our first games I think it was still an easy win for us much easier than we had expected” stated XU Xin. “The Great Britain team already made it to the Semifinals of the World Championships and almost made it through to the Final so it may seem to everyone that they are the dark horse. But for us we are already prepared for a tough match against them. We watch their match footages to study them for hours last night to get ready for this match. I think they are also a strong team one of the top teams in Europe now and they even defeated Germany at the World Championships group stage.”   MA Long added:“They have improved a lot and grew strong over the past two years to make the top four at the World Championships. I had a tough match against PITCHFORD losing the first game and having to come back from 7-9 in the next. As the first player I wanted too much to win the first match for our team. But because I had pressure and that I’m not familiar with him I lost the first game easily and after that I was tense throughout the rest of the match.”   Liam PITCHFORD had his chances but MA responeded the challenge.     “I think we surprised them I had a plan to follow I won the first game against Ma Long and then I had 9-7 in the third and fourth but I couldn’t make it count; he responded that’s why he is Olympic and World champion.”   Still the European team maintained high level of play. “I think since Japan 2014 we are all now much more consistent as individuals; we wanted to win we gave our best it’s been a great tournament” said Paul DRINKHALL.   Republic of Korea beat Sweden. Kristian KARLSSON suffered by the hands of JOO Saehyuk in the opening duel but Mattias KARLSSON beat LEE Sangsu in next. Doubles brought another point to Korea’s account. JEOUNG sealed the match with the victory over Kristian.