Para table tennis has its own special atmosphere teammates cheer colleagues who are playing from the very first point on the very first day but when we speak about complete experience the Andalucia 2022 World Para Table Tennis Championships lifted the bar higher thanks to the technology of a new level.
The tournament director Daniel VALERO who was the tournament director for the 2010 World Veteran Championships in Alicante/Elche conducts a well-coordinated team; the presentation is of the highest standards a 30-metre-long screen flashes the name of players with their photos as they enter the arena. Eight tables and each is individually lit so once a match finish the lights on that table turn off. The venue also benefitted from accessibility enhancement for wheelchair users with ten special toilets two ramps for the practice area and two ramps for the entrance being installed.
“We’ve been watching the best ever World ParaTable Tennis Championships here in Granada! This competition always had a huge passionate environment around it but this year the level of organization is extremely high. As always the faces of the players and coaches do not lie and we can feel how all are impressed with the conditions they were presented in Granada. I wish to not only to thank the Royal Federacion Espanola de Tenis de Mesa for inviting me to be here but also to congratulate the level of organization we are all witnessing here. The challenge for the next organisers is really huge!” stated ETTU Acting President Pedro MOURA.
Already 16 title holders are crowned. For a first time Mixed Doubles and Men’s and Women’s Doubles were played.
In the Palacio Municipal de Deportes de Granada in mixed doubles class 20; in a final Poland’s Patryk CHOJNOWSKI and Natalia PARTYKA recovered from a two games to nil deficit to overcome Australia’s MA Lin and YANG Qian (5-11 9-11 11-6 11-7 11-3).
“A very hard match today. We had to struggle so much to win this gold medal ” said Patryk CHOJNOWSKI
“Yesterday when I lost in the women’s doubles final with Karolina (PEK) it was really painful I didn’t want to lose another final; to get the World Champion title with Patryk is incredible he is a fantastic person and a true friend” added Natalia Partyka
In mixed doubles class 7 it was a full distance affair success for Germany. Thomas BRÜCHLE and Sandra MIKOLASCHEK (GER) secured the title at expense of Korea Republic’s KIM Juynggil and YOON Jiyu (11-6 7-11 5-11 12-10 11-8).
“It was as really tough match it’s always tough playing against Koreans we knew we were not the favourites to win but that gave us great motivation” explained Thomas BRÜCHLE
In the mixed doubles class 14 final. Jean-Paul MONTANUS and Kelly van ZON of Netherlands emerged successful by the very narrowest of margins against Ukraine’s Viktor DIDUKH and Maryna LYTOVCHENKO (4-11 11-7 6-11 13-11 12-10).
“We can’t believe it! We are excited. A very long match we played point by point and at the end we’ve reached the title ” stated Jean-Paul MONTANUS.
Great Britain’s Fliss PICKARD and Grace WILLIAMS in women’s doubles class 14 created a big upset. They commenced their journey as total outsiders. In fact Grace WILLIAMS who only started playing table tennis five years ago didn’t qualify for Andalucia she received a wild card. The win was on a par with their compatriot John HILTON who in 1981 won the men’s singles title at European Championships at odds of 1000-1!
The duo overcame the top seeded German partnership of Stephanie GREBE and Juliane WOLF (11-9 11-7 12-10).
Grace WILLIAMS said: “We are speechless totally shocked stunned with the victory I felt pressure before the match a bit overwhelmed as it was a World Championship final but I knew I had Fliss beside me and Shaun (MARPLES) in the corner. I knew whatever the outcome they’d be proud of me and I’d be proud of myself as well. As soon as we won the final point I thought ‘that’s it’ but it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”
Andalucia 2022 World Para Championships
Medallists: Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles
Men’s Doubles Class 4
SF: CHA Soo Yong/PARK Jingheol (KOR) v Martin LUDROVSKY/Jan RIAPOS (SVK) 11 7 12
SF: Iker SASTRE/Miguel Angel TOLEDO (ESP) v Rafal CZUPER/Tomasz JAKIMCZUK (POL) -6 7 8 9
F: CHA Soo Yong/PARK Jingheol (KOR) v Iker SASTRE/Miguel Angel TOLEDO (ESP) 6 -10-9 5 7
Men’s Doubles Class 8
SF: KIM Younggun/KIM Junggil (KOR) v Abdullah OZTURK/Nesim TURAN (TUR) 7 5 8
SF: Yuttajak GLINBANCHUEN/Wanchai CHAIWUT (THA) v Valentin BAUS/Thomas SCHMIDBERGER (GER) 13 -8 – 10 9 11
F: KIM Younggun/KIM Junggil (KOR) v Yuttajak GLINBANCHUEN/Wanchai CHAIWUT (THA) 9 7 4
Men’s Doubles Class 14
SF: Rungroj THAINIYOM/Phisit WANGPHONPHATHANASIRI (THA) v Clément BERTHIER/Esteban HERRAULT (FRA) 6 -5 7 8
SF: Paul KARABARDAK/Billy SHILTON (GBR) v Jordi MORALES/Alvaro VALERA (ESP) -8 7 9 10
F: Paul KARABARDAK/Billy SHILTON (GBR) v Rungroj THAINIYOM/Phisit WANGPHONPHATHANASIRI (THA) 11-8 11-8 1-11 11-8
Men’s Doubles Class 18
SF: Lev KATS/Ivan MAI (UKR) v Ben DESPINEUX/Laurens DEVOS (BEL) -7 -3 8 11 8
SF: Josh STACEY/Ross WILSON (GBR) v Mateo BOHEAS/Thomas BOUVAIS (FRA) 6 8 -8 6
F: Lev KATS/Ivan MAI (UKR) v Josh STACEY/Ross WILSON (GBR) 11-9 11-4 13-11
Men’s Doubles Class 22
Group: 1. KIM Gitae/JEOUNG Kyuyoung (KOR)
2. Takeshi TAKAMORI/Koya KATO (JPN)
3. Timothe IVALDI/Antoine ZHAO (FRA) 4. Rory CARROLL/Samuel von EINEM (GBR)
Women’s Doubles Class 5
SF: Dararat ASAYUT/Chilchitraryak BOOTWANSIRINA (THA) v LEE Migyu/SEO Suyeon (KOR) 9 -7 8 -4 5
SF: Michela BRUNELLI/Giada ROSSI (ITA) v Catia OLIVEIRA/Marliane SANTOS (BRA) 6 11 7
F: Michela BRUNELLI/Giada ROSSI (ITA) v Dararat ASAYUT/Chilchitraryak BOOTWANSIRINA (THA) -12 10 12 4
Women’s Doubles Class 10
SF: Borislava PERIC-RANKOVIC/Nada MATIC (SRB) v Wijittra JAION/Wassana SRINGAM (THA) 8 7 -9 -8.3
SF: JUNG Younga/YOON Jiyu (KOR) v Alexandra SAINT-PIERRE/Flora VAUTIER (FRA) -10 5 8 6
F: Borislava PERIC-RANKOVIC/Nada MATIC (SRB) v JUNG Younga/YOON Jiyu (KOR) 7 -8 7 -4 8
Women’s Doubles Class 14
SF: Stephanie GREBE/Juliane WOLF (GER) v KIM Seongok/MOON Sungkeum (KOR) 6 6 5
SF: Fliss PICKARD/Grace WILLIAMS (GBR) v Morgen CAILLAUD/Thu KAMKASOMPHU (FRA) 4 7 8
F: Fliss PICKARD/Grace WILLIAMS (GBR) v Stephanie GREBE/Juliane WOLF (GER) 9 7 10
Women’s Doubles Class 20
SF: LEI Li Na/YANG Qian (AUS) v Hana RESTI/Suwarti SUWARTI (INA) 5 -6 6 7
SF: Natalia PARTYKA/Karolina PEK (POL) v Merve DEMIR/Neslihan KAVAS (TUR) 6 -8 3 3
F: LEI Li Na/YANG Qian (AUS) v Natalia PARTYKA/Karolina PEK (POL) -7 7 9 5
Women’s Doubles Class 22
SF: NG Mui Wui/WONG Ting Ting (HKG) v Krystyna LYSIAK/Dorota NOWACKA (POL) 9 7 4
SF: Anne DIVET/Lea FERNEY (FRA) v Edit EBRU/Sumeyra TURK (TUR) 1 1 4
F: WD 22 NG Mui Wui/WONG Ting Ting (HKG) v Anne DIVET/Lea FERNEY (FRA) 11 11 4
Mixed Doubles Class 4
SF: PARK Jincheol/SEO Suyeon (KOR) v Rafal CZUPER/Dorota BUCLAW (POL) -8 7 4 7
SF: Federico CROSARA/Giada ROSSI (ITA) v Thirayu CHUEAWONG/Chilchitraryak BOOTWANSIRINA (THA) -2 9 9 9
F: PARK Jincheol/SEO Suyeon (KOR) v Federico CROSARA/Giada ROSSI (ITA) 8 11 7
Mixed Doubles Class 7
SF: KIM Juynggil/YOON Jiyu (KOR) v Abdullah OZTURK/Nergiz ALTINTAS (TUR) 5 13 6
SF: Thomas BRÜCHLE/Sandra MIKOLASCHEK (GER) v Mladen CIRIC/Borislava PERIC-RANKOVIC (SRB) -18 10 6 – 5 6
F: Thomas BRÜCHLE/Sandra MIKOLASCHEK (GER) v KIM Juynggil/YOON Jiyu (KOR) 6 -7 -5 10 8
Mixed Doubles Class 10
SF: KIM Younggun/JUNG Younga (KOR) v Tolba HASSAN/Faiza MAHMOUD (EGY) 4 10 7
SF: Wanchai CHAIWUT/Wijittra JAION (THA) v Mitar PALIKUCA/Nada MATIC (SRB) 8 9 8
F: KIM Younggun/Jung Younga (KOR) v Wanchai CHAIWUT/Wijittra JAION (THA) 7 7 5
Mixed Doubles Class 14
SF: Viktor DIDUKH/Maryna LYTOVCHENKO (UKR) v Rungroj THAINIYOM/Kanlaya CHAIWUT (THA) 4 -8 11 8
SF: Jean-Paul MONTANUS/Kelly van ZON (NED) v Billy SHILTON/Felicity PICKARD (GBR) 8 9 8
F: Jean-Paul MONTANUS/Kelly van ZON (NED) v Viktor Didukh/Maryna LYTOVCHENKO (UKR) -4 7 -6 11 10
Mixed Doubles Class 17
SF: Peter ROSENMEIER/Thea NIELSEN (DEN) v Nathan PELLISSIER/Lei Li NA (AUS) 6 -7 4 9
SF: Paulo SALMIN/Bruna ALEXANDRE (BRA) v Piotr GRUDZIEN/Karolina PEK (POL) 5 -5 10 9
F: Paulo SALMIN/Bruna ALEXANDRE (BRA) v Peter ROSENMEIER/Thea NIELSEN (DEN) 10 5 6
Mixed Doubles Class 20
SF: Patryk CHOJNOWSKI/Natalia PARTYKA (POL) v David JACOBS/Hana RESTI (INA) 7 -10 9 7
SF: MA Lin/YANG Qian (AUS) v SUN Jin-Sian/LIN Tzu-Yu (TPE) 6 -11 9 -14 10
F: Patryk CHOJNOWSKI/Natalia PARTYKA (POL) v MA Lin/YANG Qian (AUS) -5 -9 6 7 3
Mixed Doubles Class 22
Group: 1. KIM Gitae/SEO Yanghee (KOR)
2. Takashi ASANO/Kanami Furukawa (JPN)
3. Lucas CREANGE/Lea FERNEY (FRA)
4. Marek CHYBINSKI/Dorota NOWACKA (POL)
