The 2017 European Under 21 champion and member of Germany’s gold-winning team at the 2021 European Championships, Chantal MANTZ, has taken on a new role at the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava. This time, she is not playing – she is coaching. And not for Germany, but for Belgium. It’s her first time coaching, her first time as a national coach, and her debut came against none other than her home country, Germany – a challenge that made the occasion even tougher. Germany lived up to expectations, with Mia GRIESEL, Lisa-Sophie WANG, and Eireen KALAITZIDOU defeating Lilou MASSART, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, and Lilly LAFFINEUR in straight matches. “From the beginning, it was clear that we weren’t likely to cause a surprise against Germany. We tried our best, but they were just too strong. We went into the match hoping we might pull off an upset, but in the end, it wasn’t to be,” said MANTZ. How did you end up coaching Belgium? “I’ve been living with Martin ALLEGRO for almost a year now — we’ve been together for nearly three years. I was training with the boys and had some contacts within the Belgian federation. At the time, the junior girls and women’s teams didn’t have a coach, so they approached me and asked if I would be interested. I thought, ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll give it a try and see how it goes.’” Are you coaching the women’s team as well? “Yes, because the teams are almost the same — many of the junior girls also play for the senior team. So I agreed to coach both. I had just one week of preparation with the girls before heading straight into the European Championships. We’ll see how things develop in the future, but I’m really happy to have this opportunity.” Who are your top players? “In the Under 19 team, our number one is Lilou MASSART. Then we have our number two, Lessia LEWYCKYJ, who is really talented. We also have some promising younger players like Lotte DEMEYER, Lotte NUYTTENS… In the senior team, we have Margo De GRAEFF and Julie VAN HAUWAERT among others. So yes, we have a solid group, and we’ll see what we can achieve.” What’s your goal for this championship? “Our main goal is to stay in the first division — that’s our priority. Germany was the strongest team in our group, and we’ve already played them. Tomorrow we’ll face Czechia and Austria – that won’t be easy either. After that, we’ll see how things go, but the focus is definitely on maintaining our position in the top division.” Are you still playing yourself? “Yes, I’m still playing, but not for the national team anymore. Just in the German league, semi-professionally, in the first division.” And how does it feel to be a coach now? “A bit strange, to be honest. I enjoy it – it’s interesting to see things from the other side. I’m more relaxed now. As a player, you’re always nervous and under pressure. As a coach, I can take a step back. But yes, it’s still a bit strange being the national coach for Belgium instead of Germany. People keep asking me about it, and I’m still getting used to the change — but I’m adapting,” said MANTZ.

Already on the opening day of the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava, fierce battles and surprising upsets marked the Team Events. In the Under 19 Junior Event, Czechia, backed by loud cheering and drums inside the Torax Arena, overturned the rankings by defeating the top-seeded team in Group D, Spain. Led by Štěpán BRHEL, who recorded two wins against Francesc CARRERA and Daniel BERZOSA, the host team triumphed in a thrilling five-match encounter. The Czech team trailed 1–2 after Martin ŠIP lost to BERZOSA and Jindřich MORÁVEK fell to Luca KHIDASHELI. However, BRHEL overcame BERZOSA, and ŠIP sealed the duel with a win over CARRERA. BRHEL played excellently against Spain. He overcame several difficult moments in his match against Francesc CARRERA and always managed to regain composure. In the third set, for example, he led 9:2 but eventually won it 13:11. He later admitted that the match was all about mental strength. “That’s exactly it. It wasn’t easy. We knew that Spain’s strength lies in their number one player, so if we wanted to win, we had to beat CARRERA. It was all about staying focused. Concentration – and probably something else, but I don’t know what right now. It was difficult, but that was the key to success,” he said after the match, his hoarse voice reflecting the intensity and team spirit. “Yeah, yeah, it reminds me of the team atmosphere at the championship in Gliwice. We’re a great bunch, and we really support each other.” For the top-seeded team France, the journey was smooth. Nathan LAM, Nathan PILARD, and Antoine Jean NOIRAULT defeated Germany’s Lleyton ULLMAN, Alexander UHING, and Matej HASPEL 3–1. “We’re really happy to win against Germany because it’s a really strong team, and we knew it would be a tough start to the European Championships – everyone here plays really well. My teammates performed great, all of them. In my final match against ULLMAN, I won 3-0, but at the beginning, I knew it would be difficult because he’s a very good player. In the last game, it was a little strange – I was leading 5:1, and suddenly it was 5:8, so I was quite surprised. He changed his tactic, and I had to adapt mine as well. That helped me win the set and the match,” said LAM, the reigning French junior champion. In Group B, Austria emerged victorious in their duel against Croatia. Despite being seeded only fourth, Julian RZIHAUSCHEK, Petr HODINA, and Tobias HOLD secured a straight-matches win. In the Under 15 category, top-seeded Italy had to go the full distance against Switzerland. Lowis VOGLER proved too strong for both Giulio CAMPAGNA and Francesco TREVISAN and narrowly lost in the doubles, partnering Elias-Mate SIMO. However, CAMPAGNA defeated SIMO in the deciding match. Türkiye and Sweden secured straight-match victories in their encounters against Spain and Austria, respectively. In contrast, the top-seeded team in Group C, Hungary, failed to justify their ranking and lost to France. The biggest drama unfolded in Group D, where top seeds England had to battle through five long matches before eventually overcoming Romania. The key player in their success was Kacper PIWOWAR, who won two matches – including the decisive one against Andrei TIBIRNA. “I think we did a really good job, especially the boys on the bench, Pablo and Jake – they really helped us. I started well in the first match and felt comfortable. Then my teammate Abraham SELLADO played really well and won 3:0. We struggled a bit in the doubles, but it was really close – there wasn’t much we could do. In Abraham’s next singles match, he was just unlucky; it was very close. In my final match, I wasn’t really nervous, but of course, I wanted to win, for the team and for myself. I think the most crucial point was when I won the third game. If I had lost that, it would have been much harder for me,” said PIWOWAR.

The 67th European Youth Championships officially began today in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The competition opened with the team events, and fans can follow all the action on ETTU TV and the official ETTU YouTube channel. Ostrava is hosting the EYC for the third time, and the Czech team has high hopes and plenty of reasons to look forward to the tournament with great anticipation. Among the home favourites is Hanka KODET, a two-time European champion in the Under 15 singles category. She now aims to complete a hat-trick of titles. Last year in Malmö, KODET also took medals in the team and mixed doubles events. She claimed bronze alongside Simona HOLUBOVÁ and Adéla BRHELOVÁ in the team event and with Jan ŠKALDA in mixed doubles. The Czech Under 15 boys’ team — Jan ŠKALDA, Ondřej MORÁVEK, Jakub KABELKA, and Filip RAČÁK — also secured bronze. “My first impressions here in Ostrava are very positive – the playing conditions are excellent, and I feel good on the court,” said KODET. “I’ll try to perform at my highest level and hopefully defend my title again. I’m very happy that such a major tournament is taking place here in the Czech Republic.” The Czech Under 19 boys’ team faces a challenging group. Although Romania was drawn from the fourth seeding pot, they are considered one of the strongest contenders. “Romania is very strong, their youth tournament participation is limited – which affects their ranking. In my opinion, they are the favourites in our group. Iulian CHIRITA is ranked 67th in the senior world rankings, and Dragos BUJOR and the others are also top players,” said head coach Karel KARÁSEK. Jakub MAKARA is making his EYC debut. “This is my first EYC, and I’m really happy to have been selected, and that the tournament is happening here in the Czech Republic. The venue is a bit slow, which suits my defensive style of play. I’m mainly looking forward to measuring myself against Europe’s best and gaining valuable experience.” The Czech Under 19 girls will face their toughest group opponent, second-seeded Germany, on Saturday. But first, they open their campaign today against Austria. According to coach Jaroslav MIKESKA, the group is demanding, but the Czech girls are capable of qualifying. “Both Austria and Belgium have strong number one players. Nina SKERBINZ has shown her class internationally, and Belgium’s Lilou MASSART could easily take two points. However, I believe we have a more balanced and overall stronger team. We’re aiming for second place – and we’re not without a chance against Germany either.” The Czech Under 15 girls’ team is the highest-seeded home squad, second only to Germany. Returning with last year’s bronze-medal-winning lineup plus newcomer Laura MARŠÍČKOVÁ, they again have podium ambitions. Their first match is against France on Table 1 at 13:20. “France is our toughest opponent in the group. Though drawn from the third pot, they’re realistically the second-strongest team. They don’t have a standout star this year, but it’s still France. We’ll also face Spain and Belgium on Saturday. With all due respect to our adversaries, I firmly believe we’ll qualify directly for the round of 16,” said coach Tomáš VRŇÁK. While confident, VRŇÁK also noted potential pitfalls. “Doubles could be tricky. In cadet matches, the doubles come after the first two singles — and even two strong players can lose to weaker pairs. Still, I’m confident we’ll advance from the group and fight for medals in the playoffs. That’s our main goal – anything less would be a disappointment.” Czech Under 15 boys’ coach Jakub MERTA is also making his EYC debut — at home and with a team defending last year’s bronze medal. Despite the pressure, he is optimistic. “This is the kind of group we were hoping for. It’s certainly manageable in terms of direct qualification. Among the top-seeded teams, we got England — probably the most favourable opponent. Romania, drawn from the third pot, is stronger, but we know their players and should be slight favourites. Portugal is a bit of an unknown since they rarely compete in international events.”

European Youth Championships is among the largest table tennis events. Only the major veterans’ championships may have a higher number of participants. This will be no different starting Friday in Ostrava, where this year’s championship begins with the team events. It will be the third time that championship titles will be contested in the Poruba arena. After the years 2013 and 2019, the Czechia is hosting again—this time in the year when Czech table tennis is celebrating 100 years since its founding. The European Junior Championships were also held in the Czechia in 1996 and 1999 in Frýdek-Místek, while Prague hosted the tournament in 2005 and 2009. Ostrava’s RT Torax Arena is practically ready, with only a few final touches remaining. Several Czech players have already taken advantage of this, testing the playing environment despite the ongoing movement of organizers around the playing area. By Friday, a total of 1,000 participants will need to be accredited. 606 players from 48 countries are expected, along with 220 coaches and staff, 110 referees, and 65 organizers and volunteers. Accommodation had to be arranged—140 rooms are available at the Vista Hotel and 400 two-room units in the modern dormitories of VŠB-TU Ostrava. Two hockey halls have been transformed to accommodate 24 competition tables and the same number of training tables. A total of 3,000 square meters of Taraflex flooring had to be laid. Around the tables, 600 surrounds have been set up, and 3,000 balls are prepared. For the best players and teams, 41 gold, 41 silver, and 82 bronze medals have been produced—for all events, including reserves. The tournament lasts ten days, with matches scheduled nearly every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with only minor exceptions. Overview of EYC 2024 Winners and Czech Medalists Team Events: Individual Events:

The draw for the Team Events at the 2025 European Youth Championships was held today in the city of Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Championships will take place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20, 2025.

The city of Ostrava, Czech Republic, will host Europe’s most promising young table tennis talents this summer at the 2025 European Youth Championships, taking place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20, 2025. This marks a return to Ostrava for the third time, following successful editions in 2013 and 2019, confirming the city’s status as a trusted and experienced host of Europe’s premier youth table tennis event. Organized by the Czech Table Tennis Association in cooperation with TT Marketing s.r.o., and under the authority of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU), this prestigious annual event will welcome players from across the continent to compete in both team and individual events. All matches will be held at the RT Torax Arena | SAREZA, located at Čkalovova 20, Ostrava. The arena will feature 24 competition tables. The draw for the team events will be conducted on Tuesday, July 8 at 18:00, while the first draws for individual events are scheduled for Sunday, July 14, both at the venue. Seeding for U19 and U15 categories will be based on the July 2025 European Rankings, considering the combined points of the highest-ranked players entered per team. The ETTU Ranking Committee reserves the right to assign special seedings in doubles and mixed doubles events.A Look Back 2024 Champions from Malmö As the table tennis community prepares for another thrilling edition, here’s a reminder of the 2024 champions crowned in Malmö, Sweden: Team Events Singles Champions Doubles Champions With a legacy of excellence and fierce competition, the 2025 European Youth Championships in Ostrava promise a showcase of the next generation of European table tennis stars.