European Championships | 13 Oct 2013

Awesome Europeans for Germany

Germany was the most successful nation at the LIEBHERR European Championships concluded today in Austria’s Schwechat. Germany clinched gold in both Teams’ Events, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV won Singles Event and Petrissa SOLJA and Sabine WINTER won the title in D

Germany was the most successful nation at the LIEBHERR European Championships concluded today in Austria’s Schwechat. Germany clinched gold in both Teams’ Events, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV won Singles Event and Petrissa SOLJA and Sabine WINTER won the title in Doubles.

Germany also has two silver and two bronze medals. Sweden has gold and bronze, Poland gold as well as Croatia, Greece silver and bronze, and Belarus has same record. Romania has silver, Spain three bronze medals, Portugal and Russia two bronze each and Czech Republic one bronze. Austria concluded the competition with the silver in Doubles.

Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, after two times had reached quarterfinal at the European championships, finally clinched medal. Gold came as a reward for a perfect tournament and fantastic performance in Schwechat. In the final OVTCHAROV overcame three times European champion Vladimir SAMSONOV.

“I was ready for SAMSONOV since he always played very well against me. However, I think today he was little bit tired after the semi-final. It has been long tournament for both of us. I played much more aggressive and it proved as good tactics,” said OVTCHAROV.

LI Fen clinched gold for Sweden in Women’s Singles Event. In the final she overcame SHAN Xiona of Germany. “It is like dream come true. On my first European Championships I reached gold. I still can not believe it,” said LI who came to Sweden 10 years ago.

Enthusiastic crowd in Multiversum Werner SCHLAGER Academy could not help a lot today to Robert GARDOS and Daniel HABESOHN. Champions from Herning lost their crown. New titleholders are TAN Riuwu and WANG Zeng Yi players from Croatia and Poland.

In all-German final of the Women’s Doubles Event Petrissa SOLJA and Sabine WINTER of Germany beat Zhenqi BARTHEL and SHAN Xiaona. Before Austria, in 2012 SOLJA and WINTER reached the Round of 16 at the European Championships, whilst BARTHEL and SHAN never played together at the Continental gathering.

“It was hard match, but even after they made advantage I was not afraid. It happened before. At the German national Championships they had even bigger advantage, but we eventually won the title. Sabine told me to fight and I listened,” said Petrissa SOLJA.