National Championships: OLAH and KIRICHENKO won gold in Finland

March 9, 2011
12:00 am
Member Associations

08/03/2011 – Benedek OLAH (19) and Anna KIRICHENKO (13) clinched the titles in Finnish National Championships in Tampere last weekend. For both of them this is the first gold at the National championships in singles in career. There had been some concerns about aging players still dominating Finnish table tennis. This time winners are so young so the future looks better and junior training seems to bring results.

In Men’s Singles final favorite OLAH met 2nd seed Mika RASANEN and beat him in a close match 4:2. OLAH dominated with his excellent backhand but RASANEN (35) did not give up without a good fight. Last year same players met in final RASANEN won. In semis OLAH had beat Timo TAMMINEN 4:2 – not an easy win for the coming champion there either. In other semi RASANEN won Pasi VALASTI (41) 4:3 after being down 0:3 in 7th.

“It is a really fantastic feeling and a relief to win the first championship. I had some difficulties with forehand still but my technique is improving ” commented smiling OLAH after the final. The ambitious winner has been training a lot abroads mainly in Hungary and Germany.

In Women’s singles Anna KIRICHENKO beat Sannamari B??IUS 4:0. Jannika OKSANEN and Anna? mother (!) Svetlana took bronze medals. Mother and daughter did not meet in semis though. ” I am looking forward to European Junior Championships this year and hoping to improve my game with good training. Perhaps one day I will play in European top ” said Anna KIRICHENKO the happy young winner.

(by Antti JOKINEN courtesy FTTA)

Photo: Benedek OLAH (cpourtesy ITTF)

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