In Hodonin at the European Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament Portugal’s Diogo CHEN made the grade; he booked his passport to Nanjing. He beat Sweden’s Carl AHLANDER-JOHANSSON in a six games (9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6) before securing h,
In Hodonin at the European Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament Portugal’s Diogo CHEN made the grade; he booked his passport to Nanjing.
He beat Sweden’s Carl AHLANDER-JOHANSSON in a six games (9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6) before securing his place by overcoming Martin KHATCHANOV of the Netherlands in a full distance seven games contest (11-5, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11, 11-5).
Success for Diogo CHEN and there was also success for Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR; whilst for the girls, Israel’s Nicole TROSMAN and Audrey ZARIF of France reserved Nanjing places.
Tomislav PUCAR accounted for Russia’s Maxim CHAPLYGIN (12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6), before overcoming Slovenia’s Dargo JORGIC (4-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3).
Nicole TROSMAN, the no.7 seed, caused a major upset by beating Lea RAKOVAC, the no.1 seed and like Tomislav PUCAR from Croatia (9-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7); before securing her Youth Olympic Games place by defeating Kim VERMAAS of the Netherlands, the no.6 seed (13-11, 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 12-10).
Likewise Audrey ZARIF caused a brace of upsets. The no.10 seed, she overcame Italy’s Giorgia PICCOLIN, the no.9 seed (10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6) and the host nation’s Kristyna STEFCOVA (5-11, 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-6) to gain her Nanjing place.
Qualifiers
European Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament Overall the players to reserves places in Nanjing from the European Youth Olympic Games Qualification Tournament were:
Boys: Can Akkuzu (France), Patryk Zatowka (Poland), Diogo Chen (Portugal), Tomislav Pucar (Croatia)
Girls: Natalia Bajor (Poland), Maria Malanina (Russia), Nicole Trosman (Israel), Audrey Zarif (France).
All are subject to approval by the relevant National Olympic Committees.
Players previously qualified:
Youth Olympic Games World Qualification Tournament in Vila Nova de Gaia (Wednesday 22nd-Thursday 23rd January)
Boys: Adam Szudi (Hungary), Kilian Ort (Germany), David Reitspies (Czech Republic), Yang Heng-Wei (Chinese Taipei)
Girls: Doo Hoi Kem (Hong Kong), Chiu Ssu-Hua (Chinese Taipei), Adina Diaconu (Romania), Miyu Kato (Japan)
