The ITTF World Youth Championships 2025 concluded after eight days of world-class action at the BT Arena in Cluj-Napoca, marking a standout edition for European table tennis. With a total of nine medals, Europe celebrated a strong performance, highlighted by Wales’ Anna HURSEY, Germany’s Mia GRIESEL and Koharu ITAGAKI, the impressive mixed doubles run of Romania’s Iulian CHIRIȚĂ and HURSEY, as well as the doubles success of Türkiye’s Gorkem OCAL and Kenan KAHRAMAN. Europe also shone in the team events, with Italy’s Under-15 Boys’ Team reaching the final.
Wales’ Anna HURSEY delivered one of the standout European campaigns, clinching bronze in the Under-19 Girls’ Singles. She fell in the semifinal to China’s Yuxuan QIN, who went on to defeat teammate Geman ZONG for the title. To reach the podium, HURSEY defeated Taipei’s Yi-Tian YEH, Ukraine’s Veronika MATIUNINA, and Czechia’s Veronika POLAKOVA
HURSEY added a second medal, a gold in the Under-19 Girls’ Doubles alongside Germany’s Mia GRIESEL. The pair overcame the Ukrainian–Egyptian duo of Veronika MATIUNINA and Hana GODA in the semifinal before reaching the ultimate stage. France’s Leana HOCHART and Elise PUJOL and Belgium’s Lilou MASSART / Spain’s Maria BERZOSA also reached the quarterfinals.
In the Under-19 Boys’ Singles, Japan secured both gold and silver through Ryuusei KAWAKAMI and Kazuki YOSHIYAMA, with China earning both bronze medals (Hechen LI and Ruibo WEN). Europe did not reach the podium but delivered several deep runs. Romania’s Iulian CHIRIȚĂ, Spain’s Daniel BERZOSA, and France’s Flavien COTON all reached the quarterfinals, finishing just one step short of a medal.
Europe did climb the podium in the Under-19 Boys’ Doubles, where Portugal’s Tiago ABIODUN and Romania’s Iulian CHIRIȚĂ secured bronze. Chinese Taipei’s Guan-Hong KUO and Hsien-Chia HSU claimed the title ahead of Japan’s KAWAKAMI and YOSHIYAMA. Quarterfinal positions went to Hungary’s Balazs LEI and David SZANTOSI and Spain’s Daniel BERZOSA and Poland’s Marcel BLASZCZYK.
In Mixed Doubles, Anna HURSEY celebrated her third medal, joining Iulian CHIRIȚĂ for a superb silver medal run. The European pair reached the final before falling to China’s Hechen LI and Yuxuan QIN. France’s Flavien COTON and Leana HOCHART and Slovakia’s Samuel ARPAS and Spain’s Maria BERZOSA reached the quarterfinals.
In the Under-19 Teams Events, Europe’s best placements came from Poland and France in the boys’ competition, and Germany and France in the girls’ event, each finishing in the quarterfinal stage.
A major highlight for Europe came in the Under-15 Girls’ Singles, where Germany’s Koharu ITAGAKI added the World Championship title to the European crown she had won earlier this year in Czechia. She defeated China’s Qihui ZHU in the final, confirming her status as one of the brightest young stars in world table tennis. Germany’s Josephina NEUMANN reached the quarterfinals.
ITAGAKI and NEUMANN then combined for a bronze medal in the Under-15 Girls’ Doubles. France’s Nina GUO ZHENG and Alexia NODIN and Czechia’s Hanka KODET and Romania’s Patricia STOICA finished among the quarterfinalists.
In the Under-15 Boys’ Singles, Italy’s Danilo FASO reached the quarterfinals, the highest European finish in the category.
Europe added another significant medal in the Under-15 Boys’ Doubles, where Türkiye’s Gorkem OCAL and Kenan KAHRAMAN secured silver, pushing China’s Guanhong ZHOU and Haiyang YU all the way in the final. Quarterfinalists included Germany’s Jonas RINDERER and Poland’s Jan MRUGALA and Italy’s Francesco TREVISAN and Danilo FASO.
Italy delivered a standout performance in the Under-15 Boys’ Teams Event, reaching the final and earning silver after a narrow loss to Chinese Taipei. The Italian squad, Francesco TREVISAN, Danilo FASO, and Giulio CAMPAGNA, produced a major upset by defeating China on their way to the gold-medal match. Türkiye concluded their campaign in the quarterfinals.
In the Under-15 Girls’ Teams Event, Germany and France both reached the quarterfinals.
