On the opening day of the European Under 21 Championships in Skopje the Group phase took center stage. It was a highly successful day for the highest-ranked player in the opening stage Bianca MEI ROSU of Romania. The European bronze medalist in the Under 19 category in Gliwice concluded the day at the top of Group 1 with three victories over Elvira RAD of Spain Elise PUJOL of France and Foteini MELETIE of Cyprus. PUJOL surpassed her rankings and finished second moving on to the second stage after defeating RAD.
In Group 2 Clea DE STOPPELEIRE of France also upset the rankings to advance to the next phase. However Matilde PINTO of Portugal managed to join her from the second spot after one defeat.
The same order was maintained in Group 3. Anastasia STERNER recorded three wins to secure the top position in Group 3. Austria’s player seeded at position no. 31 overcame the 11th-seeded Ukraine’s Veronika MATIUNINA on her way to the top (-5 9 11 -9 11).
“It was a very close game so I think it was about who was braver who takes more risks – wins ” said STERNER. “For this tournament I just want to give my best and I’ll see what it will bring. I hope I can beat more and more good players and I just hope that I can fight with everybody.”
Anastasia moved to Austria several years ago and is now the leading player in the Under 21 category.
“I have been in the national team for almost a year. I just want to continue growing because I have many abilities to show and show what I can do. Just hoping to improve faster and faster. This year I will participate in the World Championship with Team Austria and I hope I can show my best game. Also I am looking forward to the European U19 championship and European Senior Championship where Austria is the host so I hope to show my best game ” said STERNER.
In Group 4 there was an interesting situation with three players having two wins and one defeat. Eventually Iolanta YEVTODII of Ukraine placed at position no. 33 at the seedings emerged at the top of the group in front of Maarit Ramona BETZ of Finland who is 32nd and Agathe AVEZOU of France who is 12th on the list.
Helena SOMMEROVA of Czechia and Matilda HANSSON of Sweden both beat Emine ERNST of the Netherlands to secure a place in the next round.
Also progressing to the next stage were Sara TOKIC of Slovenia Ilona SZTWIERTNIA of Poland Luciana MITROFAN of Romania Natalia BOGDANOWICZ of Poland Zuzanna WIELGOS of Poland Nomin BAASAN of Sweden Maria BERZOSA of Spain Naomi PRANJKOVIC of Germany Sara DEVOS of Belgium Mari BALDWIN of England Lena HOCHART of France Tsvetelina GEORGIEVA of Bulgaria Josephina NEUMANN of Germany and Adriana ILLASOVA of Slovakia.
