The Women’s Singles competitions at the 2025 European Veterans Table Tennis Championships in Novi Sad came to an emotional and energetic close, crowning champions across ten age categories — from 40+ to 85+. What began as a show of top-seeded experience turned into a festival of fierce competition and heartwarming stories of resilience.
In the Over 40 category, Marina DONNER (Finland) successfully defended her title, confirming her top-seed status with a commanding run. Hungary’s Tímea AMBRUS earned silver, while Kätlin PÕLDVEER (Estonia) and Emilia KIJOK (Poland) completed the podium.
The Over 45 division followed the script as well, with Portugal’s Olga CHRAMKO converting her top seeding into gold. Svetlana POPOVTSEVA (AIN) finished second, and Laura KRUMINA (Norway) and Diana PATAKI (Hungary) shared bronze.
A surprise came in the Over 50, where Serbia’s Stanisava DIMANIĆ emerged as the champion, ahead of AIN’s Elena CHUNIKHINA. Pre-tournament favorites Krisztina SPENGLER (Hungary) and Larisa LAVRUKHINA (AIN) settled for bronze.
In the Over 55 category, Elżbieta KAZBERUK (Poland) took top honors, defeating Sweden’s Ulrika HANSSON in the final. Fellow Swede Lena JOHNSSON, the No. 1 seed, reached the semifinals alongside Jutta ERNST (Germany).
AIN’s Inna TIKHOMIROVA was crowned champion in the Over 60, with a strong showing against Ukraine’s Galyna YENENKO in the final. Spain’s Maria VINTILA TIFACHI and Marta DAUBNEROVA (Slovakia) took home bronze.
Croatian legend Branka BATINIĆ lived up to expectations in the Over 65 category, claiming gold in dominant fashion. Germany’s Birgit FINGER took silver, while Kai THORNBECH (Estonia) and Giulia SOBRERO (Italy) earned bronze. BATINIĆ also secured gold in the Doubles event, completing a remarkable campaign. Novi Sad holds a special place in her career — she competed at the European Championships in the same venue in 1974 and returned to play again in 1981 at SPENS when she clinched bronze.
In the Over 70, Switzerland’s Elmira ANTONYAN BRUNNER topped a highly competitive bracket. The AIN contingent swept the remaining medals with Ekaterina KRASNOVA taking silver, and Dina MINAKOVA and Larisa ANDREEVA each securing bronze.
Italy’s Rita POGOSOVA emerged victorious in the Over 75 group, with Larisa ILINSKAIA (AIN) taking silver. Bronze went to Linda SIMPSON (England) and Alicja SKRZYPICKA (Poland).
The Over 80 category saw Gizella ZACHER (Hungary) claim gold, ahead of Renata BURG (Austria). Bronze was awarded to Mirosława BUTRYM (Poland) and Colette LE CORVEC (France).
Finally, in the Over 85, Gertrud MIKYSKA (Austria) stood atop the podium, with Heidi WUNNER (Germany) earning silver. Eva ŠVECOVÁ (Czechia) and Chantal MASSET (France) completed the medal round.
The atmosphere in Novi Sad proved once again why the European Veterans Championships remain a cherished fixture on the calendar — a celebration of sport at every age.
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WOMEN’S SINGLES
Women’s Singles 40
- Gold Marina DONNER (Finland)
- Silver Tímea AMBRUS (Hungary)
- Bronze
- Kätlin PÕLDVEER (Estonia)
- Emilia KIJOK (Poland)
Women’s Singles 45
- Gold Olga CHRAMKO (Portugal)
- Silver Svetlana POPOVTSEVA (AIN)
- Bronze
- Laura KRUMINA (Norway)
- Diana PATAKI (Hungary)
Women’s Singles 50
- Gold Stanisava DIMANIĆ (Serbia)
- Silver Elena CHUNIKHINA (AIN)
- Bronze
- Krisztina SPENGLER (Hungary)
- Larisa LAVRUKHINA (AIN)
Women’s Singles 55
- Gold Elżbieta KAZBERUK (Poland)
- Silver Ulrika HANSSON (Sweden)
- Bronze
- Lena JOHNSSON (Sweden)
- Jutta ERNST (Germany)
Women’s Singles 60
- Gold Inna TIKHOMIROVA (AIN)
- Silver Galyna YENENKO (Ukraine)
- Bronze
- Maria VINTILA TIFACHI (Spain)
- Marta DAUBNEROVA (Slovakia)
Women’s Singles 65
- Gold Branka BATINIĆ (Croatia)
- Silver Birgit FINGER (Germany)
- Bronze
- Kai THORNBECH (Estonia)
- Giulia SOBRERO (Italy)
Women’s Singles 70
- Gold Elmira ANTONYAN BRUNNER (Switzerland)
- Silver Ekaterina KRASNOVA (AIN)
- Bronze
- Dina MINAKOVA (AIN)
- Larisa ANDREEVA (AIN)
Women’s Singles 75
- Gold Rita POGOSOVA (Italy)
- Silver Larisa ILINSKAIA (AIN)
- Bronze
- Linda SIMPSON (England)
- Alicja SKRZYPICKA (Poland)
Women’s Singles 80
- Gold Gizella ZACHER (Hungary)
- Silver Renata BURG (Austria)
- Bronze
- Mirosława BUTRYM (Poland)
- Colette LE CORVEC (France)
Women’s Singles 85
- Gold Gertrud MIKYSKA (Austria)
- Silver Heidi WUNNER (Germany)
- Bronze
- Eva ŠVECOVÁ (Czechia)
- Chantal MASSET (France)
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Women’s Doubles 40
- Gold Marina DONNER (Finland), Sofia WESTHOLM (Sweden)
- Silver Tímea AMBRUS, Szilvia FARKAS (Hungary)
- Bronze
- Joanna ZILOTIN YORDANOVA, Svetlana SKOBKINA (Spain)
- Emilia KIJOK, Marzena JASINSKA (Poland)
Women’s Doubles 45
- Gold Diana PATAKI, Alexandra HAARANEN (Hungary)
- Silver Martina KAPFINGER (Austria), Ursula LUH-FLEISCHER (Germany)
- Bronze
- Svetlana BESOVA, Svetlana POPOVTSEVA (AIN)
- Olga CHRAMKO, Paula PENEDO (Portugal)
Women’s Doubles 50
- Gold Larisa LAVRUKHINA, Elena CHUNIKHINA (AIN)
- Silver Krisztina SPENGLER, Dr. Viktória MAROSI (Hungary)
- Bronze
- Jutta ERNST, Andrea WINTER (Germany)
- Anželika PETRAUSKIENĖ (Lithuania), Marina VASILEVA (AIN)
Women’s Doubles 55
- Gold Marta DAUBNEROVA (Slovakia), Elżbieta KAZBERUK (Poland)
- Silver Petronela BADUROVA, Daniela PETREKOVA (Slovakia)
- Bronze
- Lena JOHNSSON, Katarina ÅMARK (Sweden)
- Margit GEIGER (Switzerland), Zita FERENCZY (Romania)
Women’s Doubles 60
- Gold Cornelia BIENSTADT, Karen HELLWIG (Germany)
- Silver Ibolya SCHNEIDERNÉ MÁHLI, Márta TÓTH (Hungary)
- Bronze
- Erika URBÁN, Márta MATOLCSI (Hungary)
- Nicolette VASVÁRI, Rita PÁLMAINÉ BAÁN (Hungary)
Women’s Doubles 65
- Gold Branka BATINIĆ (Croatia), Kai THORNBECH (Estonia)
- Silver Helena KOZIOL (Poland), Brigitte GROPPER (Austria)
- Bronze
- Birgit FINGER (Germany), Svea ONNO (Estonia)
- Karin KAHL, Heidi PHILIPP (Germany)
Women’s Doubles 70
- Gold Sonia MILIC (Italy), Ekaterina KRASNOVA (AIN)
- Silver Éliane CHARBONNEAU, Françoise GUILLOTEAU (France)
- Bronze
- Dina MINAKOVA, Larisa ANDREEVA (AIN)
- Elmira ANTONYAN BRUNNER (Switzerland), Petra RUBIN (Germany)
Women’s Doubles 75
- Gold Gizella ZACHER (Hungary), Larisa ILINSKAIA (AIN)
- Silver Hannelore DILLENBERGER, Karin FLEMKE (Germany)
- Bronze
- Vera MEYER, Margitta ILSKENS (Germany)
- Colette LE CORVEC, Martine PONTILLE (France)
Women’s Doubles 80
- Gold June NELSON, Susan FELSTEAD (England)
- Silver Kari Solveig GJENGEDAL (Norway), Heidi WUNNER (Germany)
- Bronze
- Rosi BERG, Karin RAUSCHER (Germany)
- Margaret DIGNUM (England), Monika MAUL (Sweden)
