The 58th edition of the European Youth Championships starts on Friday
We are counting hours before the start of the 58th edition of the European Youth Championships. From July 10th until 19th Slovak Republic will host the future of Continental table tennis in the SLOVNAFT Arena in Bratislava.
As we used to the first part of the competition will be reserved for the teams events until the next Tuesday; whilst from next Wednesday the competitors in singles doubles and mixed doubles will take the stage. Most crowded event is the Cadet Boys Team’s event with 41 nation on entries list. Junior Boys has one less whilst for Junior and Cadet Girls Teams Event 34 nation sent their teams. They all will fight for 14 titles.
The title holder in Junior Boys Team in Junior Girls Team and in Cadet Boys Team is France. Only Team’s Event won by other nation was Cadet Girls Team. Romania clinched the title in that category. In Junior Boys Singles the 2014 winner was Alexandre CASSIN of France; in Junior Girls Singles Chantal MANTZ of Germany clinched the title. CASSIN will be on duty in Bratislava whilst Germany counts on team without last year’s winner. In Junior Boys Doubles Adam SZUDI and Nandor ECSEKI of Hungary stood at the top of Europe; whilst in Junior Girls Doubles Portugal’s Rita FINS and Patricia MACIEL reached the gold. In Junior Mixed Doubles Tomislav PUCAR and Lea RAKOVAC brought gold to Croatia.
In Cadet Boys and Girls Singles Romania’s Rares SIPOS and Adina DIACONU succeeded to the top in Italy last year. In Cadet Boys Doubles Nolan GIVONE and Ivan BERTRAND of France and in Cadet Girls Doubles Adina DIACONU of Romania and Lisa LUNG of Belgium made it to the top place at the medal rostrum. In Cadet Mixed Doubles Romani had another gold won by Cristian PLETEA and Adina DIACONU. Both players are present in Bratislava.
In top Division top seeds last year’s winners team of France will play against Hungary Spain and Croatia. In Group B Sweden will meet Germany Slovakia and Denmark. In Group C 2014 runners up Poland will meet Czech Republic Belarus and Portugal. In Group D Russia will face the opposition from Slovenia Austria and Ukraine.
In Juniors Girls Team’s Event as in Group A France will start their journey with matches in the first phase against Hungary Serbia and Estonia. In Group B are Romania at the top followed by Spain Portugal and Croatia. In Group C Germany will face Poland Czech Republic and Israel. In Group D Russia is the leader followed by Belarus Slovenia and Italy.
Romania’s cadets are on the top of the Group A. They will meet Poland Hungary and Czech Republic. France is the leading nation in the Group B. Russia Turkey and Denmark are also there. In Group C Italy is at the top followed by Lithuania Sweden and Slovenia whilst in Group D Germany at the top will play against Moldova Belgium and Serbia.
In Cadet girls Event Russia is in the Group A. They will meet Czech Republic Poland and Hungary. In Group B France will play against Belarus Germany and Austria. At the top of the Group C is Sweden. Serbia Belgium and Spain will try to halt their progress. In Group D Romania is with Slovakia Turkey and Ukraine.
