The 2024 European Youth Championships commence this week with the battles in Teams events in the city of Malmö Sweden. The Teams events start on Friday 12th July and the winners will be known on Tuesday 16th July. In the Under 19 Boys Teams Event there are 41 teams listed in the competition. Romania tops the seeding list represented by Dragos BUJOR Iulian CHIRITA Andrei ISTRATE and Darius MOVILEANU. Romania is also the reigning champion. Silver medalists from Gliwice 2023 Poland are the No. 2 seed. Representing Poland are Marcel BLASZCZYK Dawid MICHNA Alan KULCZYCKI Rafal FORMELA and Mateusz ZALEWSKI. Germany is the No. 3 seed. Competing for Germany in Sweden are Andre BERTELSMEIER Matej HASPEL Manuel PROHASKA Lleyton ULLMANN and Wim VERDONSCHOT. Last year’s singles champion Eduard IONESCU of Romania is no longer in the youth categories whilst vice-champion Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland will play at the Olympics this summer. In the Girls Under 19 Team Event 36 teams will compete. Poland’s Natalia BOGDANOWICZ Anna BRZYSKA Karolina HOLDA Zuzanna PAWELEC and Zuzanna WIELGOS are leading the pack. Last year’s runner-up Germany is seeded No. 2 represented by Lena GOTTSCHLICH Mia GRIESEL Eireen KALAITZIDOU Annett KAUFMANN and Melanie Maxi MERK. Last year’s winners Team Romania with Bianca Mei ROSU Alesia Sofia SFERLEA Andrea TEGLAS and Evel UNGVARI are seeded No. 4 as last year’s singles champion Elena ZAHARIA and vice-champion Ioana SINEGEORZAN are no longer eligible for the youth categories. In the competition are 36 teams. In the Under 15 Boys Team Event Portugal is defending the title but without last year’s singles winner Tiago ABIODUN the team is seeded at No. 4. Poland Italy and Romania hold the top three positions in the seeding. Poland’s team includes last year’s singles champion Patryk ZYWORONEK. For the title will play 38 teams. In the Under 15 Girls Team Event reigning champions Germany top the seedings. Poland and Hungary are seeded in the second and third positions respectively. There are 33 teams listed. The singles events commence on Wednesday 17th July.
Europe’s players Gear Up for the Olympics
All over Europe and for some Europeans – over Asia the table tennis players qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris are spending their last weeks preparing for the greatest sporting event. Starting on July 27th we will witness another great finale of the four-year cycle. Timo BOLL who made his first Olympic Games appearance at Sydney 2000 will become only the sixth table tennis player to play at seven different Olympic Games joining Jörgen PERSSON Zoran PRIMORAC Jean-Michel SAIVE Segun TORIOLA and Olufunke OSHONAIKE. One Olympics short of that record Greek player Panagiotis GIONIS will be participating in his sixth. GIONIS went through an agonizing qualification tournament in Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure his spot in singles. He announced his plans for the pre-Olympic days: “I will be in Düsseldorf from the 8th to the 14th and then I will go to Denmark for another week of training. In Paris my goal is to make one step higher than last time. That means I would like to reach the top 16 and then I think everything is possible ” said PANAGIOTIS. The Danish team secured their spot for the 2024 Olympics in Paris by performing well at the ITTF World Team Championships held in Busan South Korea. The top quarterfinalist teams from this championship earned automatic qualification for the Olympics. One of the members of that team is Anders LIND. We contacted him for a quick update on how the preparations are going. “The team is together on duty practicing in Denmark. We have a lot of ‘guests’ from other countries coming as well ” said LIND. “My goal is to go and enjoy. It is my first Olympics and I want to go and play the best table tennis I ever have.” The female table tennis player who will have the most Olympic appearances at the Paris 2024 Olympics is Xialian NI of Luxembourg. Paris 2024 will mark her sixth Olympic appearance having previously competed in 2000 2008 2012 2016 and 2020. With one appearance less is Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA who has been competing in the Olympics since Beijing 2008. Romania also secured its place in the team event after their success at the World Championships in Busan. “We have had a frantic summer so far. Since May 25th we have been working in our training camp in Bucharest and then we went to competitions in China then Zagreb Slovenia and back home for another training camp. Last week we were at the tournament in Bangkok. We will fly to Paris on July 21st ” said SAMARA. All relevent documents about the Olympic Games see here.
2024 LIEBHERR European Championships – Media Accreditation
The accreditation process for the 2024 LIEBHERR European Championships is now open (15th to 20th October). You can find the application form on the official website of the Championships at this link. Please fill out the form to apply for media accreditation. If all information is entered correctly you will receive a success message and a confirmation email. If any information is incorrect or missing the entry will not be saved and you will receive a failure message. Please note that you must provide your press card to obtain your accreditation pass for the event.
Marcos FREITAS to Represent Portugal in Fifth Olympic Games
For a fifth time this summer in Paris Marcos FREITAS will represent Portugal at the Olympic Games. He will be competing in both the team and singles events. Ranked world no. 18 alongside Tiago APOLONIA and Joao GERALDO FREITAS reached the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Busan securing the team’s qualification for the Olympics. Yesterday the Olympic team was received by the President of Portugal Marcelo REBELO de SOUSA. “Until yesterday we trained at our national training center in Porto. Then all the athletes who will play in Paris met with the President and from today we will continue our preparations. On Tuesday the table tennis team will go to Saarbrucken for a 10-day training camp in Germany. We will practice on the Olympic tables and with Olympic balls marking the final stage of our preparations for Paris 2024 ” said Marcos FREITAS. Since Beijing 2008 FREITAS has never missed the Olympics. His best result was in Rio where he reached the quarterfinals while in Tokyo he advanced to the Round of 16. “My goal is to go as far as possible. I will be playing in both the team and singles events and I hope to be in good shape. Right now my first goal is to win the opening match and then we will go step by step. It’s hard to talk about aspirations when the draw has not yet been made.”
Meeting of Czech and Slovak Referees
In the last weekend of June the village of Čeladná in the Beskydy Mountains hosted a meeting of the Czech and Slovak referees and umpires committees. This event followed a similar meeting held three years ago in Trenčianske Teplice Slovakia. The aim was to strengthen cooperation between the two commissions exchange experiences and discuss current issues and challenges facing umpires and referees in both countries. The meeting was attended not only by members of both commissions but also by representatives of the Executive Committees of CAST and SSTZ including Chairmen Nikolas ENDAL and Anton HAMRAN. Following the recent meeting of the Executive Committees of both associations this joint event further demonstrated the close cooperation between the two table tennis associations which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovak table tennis next year. Participants focused on the possibilities of cooperation at events the use of modern technology at the table umpires and referees’ education and comparing the playing systems of long-term competitions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia concerning referees’ delegations. A separate discussion was held on the credit system used for umpires at Czech events and its evaluation in terms of motivating umpires to apply for tournaments. Additionally the upcoming major international tournaments next year in both countries—the European U21 Championships in May in Bratislava and the Youth European Championships in July in Ostrava—were discussed. It was also agreed to jointly prepare candidates for the international umpire exams this autumn. At the end of the meeting several concrete actions were agreed upon aimed at further improving cooperation and information exchange between the commissions. The meeting in Čeladná confirmed that joint work and knowledge sharing are crucial for the successful development of table tennis umpiring and refereeing activities in both countries.
Alessio SARDELLI and Fosco PERINTI to Present “Ping Pong & Poetry” in Rome
Alessio SARDELLI and Fosco PERINTI who has been living in Paris for 40 years will be among the 6 100 athletes from 111 countries on five continents competing at the ITTF World Masters Table Tennis Championships presented by Stag Global – Rome 2024. Despite their competitive backgrounds both have also developed significant careers in acting and will be key figures in the Fan Village’s program of events. On Tuesday July 9th Thursday July 11th and Friday July 12th they will present the project “Ping Pong & Poetry ” where the table tennis matches will be guided by both the rules of the sport and the metrics of poetry and language. The ball will be struck on the tonic accents of the words and any mistake will result in a lost point similar to missing a shot in a regular match. This “poetic ping pong” concept was created by Emmanuel DEMARCY-MOTA the artistic director of the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris who previously launched a similar project with actor-tennis players. The initiative is supported by the Teatro della Pergola of Florence and the Théâtre de la Ville aiming to build a 21st-century theater that bridges various disciplines generations and countries. Three texts will be performed at the Rome Fair in three languages: Dante Alighieri’s famous sonnet “Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare” from the XXVI chapter of Vita Nova in Italian Jean de La Fontaine’s fairy tale “Le corbeau et le renard” in French and the iconic soliloquy “To be or not to be” from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in English. Alessio SARDELLI born in Florence boasts a distinguished table tennis career having played for the Italian national team in the 1970s participated in the European Championships in Rotterdam and won the doubles title at the Italian Championships. Reflecting on his sports career SARDELLI shares “I am very attached to a memory of the 1974 Champions Cup match we played in Florence with Cus Firenze against the Swedish Mölndals BTK. I faced Kjell JOHANSSON nicknamed ‘The Hammer ‘ and my performance was very good. He complimented me on my fast game which was very flattering.” Later SARDELLI pursued a successful acting career collaborating with notable figures such as Gigi PROIETTI Giorgio ALBERTAZZI and Gabriele LAVIA. Fosco PERINTI originally from Sinalunga (Siena) paused his studies at ISEF to attend the mime school of Marcel Marceau in Paris and has since remained in France working as a theater and cinema actor and voice actor. PERINTI discovered table tennis seven years ago when he joined the Paris 13 Tennis de Table club with a friend and later served as its president. He continues to play and teaches the sport to Parkinson’s patients and children. “We are very proud of ‘poetic ping pong ‘” explains SARDELLI. “The public gets involved and they approach poetry and culture through table tennis. I am happy to pursue my two passions for table tennis and theater keeping the name of Florence and Italy high around Europe.” PERINTI adds “I first heard about this project from DEMARCY-MOTA in 2021. Since January this year we have been playing ping pong and performing poems at the Théâtre de la Ville and the interest is growing.” In the competition SARDELLI will play in Group 100 of the MS65 category facing Patrick WORREL from England Roger ROUSSON from France and Manfred JOCHEM from Germany. He will also compete in the MD65 with Alberico GUALFETTI and in the XD65 with Francesca MARCONE. “As a Master player this is my first participation in an event of this importance. The passion for table tennis has rekindled and playing in these World Master Championships feels like closing the circle ” he says. PERINTI in Group 168 of MD60 will compete against Roberto Tadashi ISHIKAWA from Brazil Cong XISHENG from Finland and Giuseppe GARUFI from Italy. He will also participate in MD60 with Eric NICOLE. “I came to Rome with two friends and we are in festive and friendly mode. We have no competitive ambitions; we participate for the pleasure of playing. This event is a celebration of sport and friendship through sport ” says PERINTI.
MALOBABIC Enjoys Her Rejuvenated ‘Second’ Career
Ivana MALOBABIC of Croatia had a break from the national team from 2001 to 2017. She returned and since then has set new heights in her career. “I trained and played for my club regularly but I did not play for the national team. In 2017 Croatia invited me to help them in the qualifications for the European Championship and that’s how my second career slowly began ” explained MALOBABIC laughing. “However it wasn’t until after the pandemic that I started playing singles tournaments more seriously.” Her seriousness is evident with her qualification for the Olympics in Paris 2024. MALOBABIC failed to reach the Games through the European Qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina but she achieved this goal thanks to her very good results and a strong position in the ITTF Rankings. “I am overjoyed to have qualified for the Olympics. Everything started at the European Games in Krakow and I’ve been playing well since then. I am satisfied with the whole season. The only bad luck I had was at the qualifications in Sarajevo where I woke up on the day of departure with a temperature of 38°C. I had the most important tournament in four years and had to fight a double fight with myself and the opponent ” explained Ivana. However she earned herself a second chance. “After Sarajevo I played at the WTT in Argentina where I reached the quarterfinals and secured my place in Paris. At the Games I will give my best because the best of the best compete there and a lot will depend on the draw.” From Ivana we could get “first-hand” info about the youth players preparing for the EYC in Malmö. “I am currently in the Czech Republic. I have already completed part of the preparations in Zagreb. I am in Havířov at their training center. The boy’s and girl’s national teams of the Czech Republic and Austria are preparing here for the upcoming European Junior Championship in Malmö so I decided to be here as well because the season is slowly ending and it is difficult to find adequate sparring partners.”
Poland Sweden Slovenia and the Hosts Training in Croatia
Seventeen-year-old Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland will make his Olympic debut this summer in Paris. He is currently conducting his final preparations for the event in Croatia. “Team Poland is here working with the hosts players from Sweden Slovenia Austria… We have a very nice group so it’s a pleasure to practice with them. We go back home on July 7 and on the 12th we go to Saarbrucken with Maciek KUBIK for a 7-day camp. They have Olympic tables so we can get used to them ” said REDZIMSKI. Since it will be his first experience at the Olympics Milosz said “I don’t set any goals for myself; I just want to play as best as I can and then I’m sure I can go far.” From July 1 Croatia specifically Vrsar is the center of European table tennis. In this village on the western coast of Istria the Croatian table tennis team has begun their preparations for Paris. On the roster of coach Neven KARKOVIĆ are Tomislav PUCAR Andrej GAĆINA Filip ZELJKO Frane KOJIĆ and Ivor BAN. In Vrsar alongside Croatia’s team the Poles Swedes Slovenians two Belgians (ALLEGRO and RASSENFOSSE) and an Austrian (HABESOHN) are also training. Out of the 16 teams in the Olympic team event seven are from Europe and three of them are in Vrsar. “The initial plan was for only the Poles Slovenians and us to be in Vrsar but as word quickly spread we received many inquiries from other teams. In the end there will be about twenty of us in Vrsar which is the maximum we can accommodate due to the hall’s capacity and the organization of the preparations. Realistically this number is more than enough for optimal training. Unfortunately we had to decline some players and teams. We will have a variety of players available and some preparatory matches will be played ” emphasized coach Neven KARKOVIĆ. After that Team Croatia returns to Zagreb and then they fly to Sweden to train with one of the strongest European teams. “They invited us and we will be their guests from July 14 to 19. After that we return to Zagreb where Slovak WANG Yang might join us and soon after that we fly to Paris ” he concluded.
Luxembourg Table Tennis Stars Prepare for Paris 2024 Olympics
There are only three weeks left before the start of the Olympic Games. The qualifications have concluded and the list for the teams’ and individual events can be seen here. Among the passengers for Paris 2024 is Sarah DE NUTTE of Luxembourg who reached the Olympic Games by the ITTF Rankings. She will be part of the table tennis delegation with the legendary Xia Lian NI who will be playing in her fifth Olympics as well as Luka MLADENOVIC who will make his Olympic debut in Paris. Sarah revealed that she experienced pleasant private moments alongside the joy of qualifying for the Olympics. “I took a few days off to visit my sister and her husband in Switzerland because I recently became an aunt for the first time so it was important to me to visit her. The whole last year was so busy with so many competitions and I never had time to do so ” she said. “Yesterday I have started again with the preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games. I will practice in Luxembourg with a few sparring partners from France as well as my coach. I’m looking forward to preparing well and then heading to Paris on the 22nd together with Xia Lian Luka Tommy and thanks to my Olympic Committee my private coach Peter TEGLAS can also join me. This means a lot to me to have him there as well.” Luxembourg’s Olympic Team has already received their Olympic outfits and concluded a nice photo shoot.
Lithuanian Table Tennis Association Hosts Training Camp for Cadet and Junior Players
The Lithuanian Table Tennis Association in collaboration with the ETTU’s National Association Assistance Program is currently hosting a training camp for cadet and junior players. The camp which began on July 1 and will continue until July 7 aims to prepare the young players for the upcoming European Youth Championships enhance their game skills improve physical performance and provide coaches with additional knowledge for working with cadet and junior players. The camp is led by coaches Viktor FRIZEL and Rolandas STASIULISHAS and includes a total of 15 participants: 9 athletes and 4 sparring partners. The roster is as follows: Ignas SISANOVAS Vilius KAVALIAUSKAS Ervinas UZIALO Martin FRIZEL and Kasparas MAROZAS from the boys’ team and Marija MIKALAUSKYTE Eivile ABRAMAVICIUTE Deimante ADLYTE and Aida KAVECKYTE from the girls’ team. The sparring partners are Veronika ROMASKO Lukas LAKETCENKO Valdas MARTINKUS and Mindaugas STEPONKUS. Throughout the week-long camp participants are engaging in various training activities focused on improving their technical skills and physical conditioning including multi-ball training service practice and technique exercises.
