World Championships | 3 Dec 2023

Europeans clinched 14 medals at the ITTF World Youth Championships 2023

Europeans clinched 14 medals at the ITTF World Youth Championships 2023 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. After both Romania’s teams in the Under 19 category clinched bronze, and the French Under 15 Girls team did the same, the continent’s aces continued with success.

Eduard IONESCU of Romania won bronze in the singles Under 19; Elena ZAHARIA of Romania clinched silver in the same category, as well as Annett KAUFMANN of Germany who won bronze. In Under 19 Doubles, Poland’s Milosz REDZIMSKI and Japan’s Keishi HAGIHARA won a bronze medal, Annett KAUFMANN of Germany and Anna HURSEY of Wales won silver, and Anna BRZYSKA and Zuzanna WIELGOS of Poland won bronze. In Mixed Doubles, Singapore’s QUEK Izaac and Annett KAUFMANN played in the final, while Germany’s Andre ERTELSMEIER and Mia GRIESEL played in the semis.

In the Under 15 Boys Event, Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal won bronze, and in doubles events, Koharu ITAGAKI and Josephina NEUMANN of Germany, as well as Leana HOCHART and Nina GUO ZHENG of France, clinched bronze.

In the Under 19 Boys Singles Event, Eduardo IONESCU of Romania clinched bronze after WEN Ruibo of China halted his fantastic run (4-2). In the quarters, IONESCU overcame Keishi HAGIHARA of Japan 3-4, in the Round of 16, GIL Minosek of Korea, and in the Round of 32, Andre BERTELSMEIER of Germany 4-1. In the same event, WEN Ruibo also beat Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland in the quarters.

Elena ZAHARIA overcame Slovenia’s Sara TOKIC 4-0, Japan’s Rin MENDE 4-3, Korea’s PARK Gahyeon, and in the semis, she prevailed against China’s XU Yi 4-2. At the final hurdle, China’s KUAI Man proved too strong. Annett KAUFMANN of Germany clinched bronze in the Under 19 Girls event. On her way to the semis, she beat Kazakhstan's Sarvinoz MIRKADIROVA 4-0, YEH Yi Tan of Korea 4-2, and Sally MOYLAND of the USA, before she lost to the finalist KUAI Man of China 1-4.

In the Under 19 Boys Doubles Event, Poland’s Milosz REDZIMSKI and Japan’s Keishi HAGIHARA won a bronze medal. In the quarters, they overcame Hugo DESCHAMPS and Flavien COTON of France 3-0, before they lost to LIN Shidong and WEN Ruibo of China. LIN and WEN won the title in Slovenia.

In the Under 19 Girls Doubles Event, Annett KAUFMANN of Germany and Anna HURSEY of Wales reached the final and lost to KUAI Man and XU Yi of China 3-0. In the semis, Annett and Anna beat Anna BRZYSKA and Zuzanna WIELGOS of Poland 3-0. Elena ZAHARIA of Romania and Hana GODA of Egypt reached the quarters. Germany also has bronze - Andre ERTELSMEIER and Mia GRIESEL lost in semis to QUEK and Annett 2-3.

LIN Shidong and KUAI Man halted Singapore’s QUEK Izaac and Annett KAUFMANN on their quest for gold. After a great fight in the final, the Chinese pairings won a five-game battle.

In the Under 15 Boys Event, Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal won bronze. In the opening round, he beat Petr HONDA of Austria 4-0, KWON Hyuk of Korea 4-2, Wassim ESSID of Tunisia 4-0, before he lost to China’s SUN Yang 0-4 in the semis.

In the Under 15 Girls Doubles Event, Koharu ITAGAKI and Josephina NEUMANN of Germany, and Leana HOCHART and Nina GUO ZHENG of France reached the semi-final. The winners of the event are Japan’s Mao TAKAMORI and Yuna OJIO.