First European Veterans Championships gold medalists – Edvard VECKO of Slovenia at age of 72 is still active. He is on duty in Helsinborg.
VECKO was the member of the Yugoslav national team at the European Championships in Berlin. He won silver medal in doubles with Istvan KORPA and the Yugoslav team became European Champions. At the European Championships 1964 in Malmö Yugoslavia took a silver medal in team and in 1968 Edvard VECKO became European Champion in doubles with Anton STIPANCIC.
Between 1962 and 1969 VECKO played 140 international team matches for the national team. He participated four times in the World Championships and four times at the European Championships.
In the autumn of 1970 Edvard VECKO started as a national team coach in Austria. He also has been engaged in few German clubs in the Bundesliga.
He is playing at the Veterans Championships for 33 years. At the EVC he has won three gold medals title in Singles 50 in 1995 and 1997 and title in Doubles 50 in 1995. Vecko also clinched gold medal at WVC. In 1986 he took gold in both singles 40 and doubles 40 and he also has a silver medal from 2009 in singles 65.
“The reason I am coming back here is the play the atmosphere the sound of the ball hitting the table. When you are sick and tired it gives you strength. I am enjoying every moment of the competition ” said VECKO.
Can you compare the today’s table tennis with the one from the past?
“I think we are making the full circle. With new bigger balls the game is slower and it came back down to the table again ” explain VECKO.
