Member Associations | 26 Nov 2023

Ella Zeller CONSTANTINESCU, 90 years old today: happy birthday!

Born in Timisoara on 26th November 1933, Ella Zeller CONSTANTINESCU celebrated her 93th birthday today

Outstanding at ball games, in addition to table tennis she excelled at handball, volleyball and basketball, when 13 years old, playing for the local town table tennis team she attracted considerable attention.

She stood out from the crowd; in 1950 after leaving high school, she enrolled at the Institute of Physical Culture and Sport in Bucharest, the club where Angelica ROZEANU, six times winner of the Women 's Singles title at the World Championships, was a member.

Rapid progress followed, a place in the Romanian national team was achieved and medals at World Championships gained.

Notably, 1956, 1957 and 1963 she reached the semi-final stage of the Women's Singles event at the World Championships but her strength was as team player. In 1953 in Bucharest, she teamed with Angelica ROZEANU to win the Women's Team title, before in 1955 in Utrecht and 1956 in Tokyo, again with Angelica Rozeanu, she struck gold in both the Women's Team and Women's Doubles competitions.

Many titles came her way, notably at the first ever European Championships in 1958 she won Women's Doubles gold, again in partnership with Angelica ROZEANU; before in 1966 she retired from international play but was not lost to the sport of table tennis. She assumed the position of head coach for the national team before fulfilling a major role within the European Table Tennis Union. She became a member of Management Committee, later she assumed the role Vice President and is now a honorary member.

ZELLER-CONSTANTINESCU, Ella (ROU)

Born: 26/11/1933 in Moldova Noua/ROU

ITTF Hall of Fame: Induction 1995

ETTU Honorary member; ETTU Vice President 1988-1992.

Achievements / World Championships:

1953 World Champion in Women's Teams

1955 World Champion in Women's Teams

1955 World Champion in Women's Doubles (with Angelica Rozeanu/ROU)

1956 World Champion in Women's Teams

1956 World Champion in Women's Doubles (with Angelica Rozeanu/ROU)

1952 Vice World Champion in Women's Teams

1957 Vice World Champion in Women's Teams

1963 Vice World Champion in Women's Teams

Achievements / European Championships:

1958 European Champion in Women's Doubles (with Angelica Rozeanu/ROU)

1958 Vice European Champion in Women's Teams

1964 Vice European Champion in Women's Doubles (with Maria Alexandru/ROU)

International Championships:

1st place in Women's Singles:

Italy: 1957

Romania: 1957

Romanian National Championships:

1st place in Women's Singles: 1957 – 1961

1st place in Women's Doubles: 1953 – 1956, 1958 – 1961, 1963 – 1965

1st place in Mixed Doubles: 1952, 1956 – 1959, 1961, 1963

Best rankings:

ITTF: 2nd place in 1965

ETTU: 2nd place in 1964