World Championships | 15 Feb 2024

Austria’s Teams Dream of Olympic Tickets at World Championships in Korea

The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024 starting on Friday with Olympic tickets for Paris 2024 are at stake. Reaching the quarterfinals would secure a spot. According to ÖTTV web site, mathematically, Austria's women have good chances of winning the group and advancing to the Round of 16, while the men hope for a second-place finish behind pool favorite France and aim to reach the Round of 16 through the playoffs. After that, both teams are hoping for favorable draws...

Austria's men will face France, Denmark, Australia, and Algeria in Group 4.

“France is likely out of reach as a medal contender, but we are clear favorites against Australia and Algeria. So, the 50:50 match against Denmark will decide second place,” predicts ÖTTV Sports Director Stefan FEGERL.

The group winner advances to the Round of 16, while the second and third-placed teams play in the Round of 32. All quarterfinalists qualify for the Olympics. The remaining slots for Paris will be determined by world ranking among the Round of 16 teams. In total, 16 teams will compete in Paris.

Andreas LEVENKO and Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK took the opportunity to prepare with the Korean team in Incheon/Korea. Daniel HABESOHN and Robert GARDOS joined the team later.

The ÖTTV women have even better chances in Group 6: Hong Kong, Portugal, Australia, and Kazakhstan are all beatable for Sofia POLCANOVA and Co. Winning the group would see the ladies, who prepared with the German team in Düsseldorf, already in the Round of 16 and with a chance at an Olympic ticket within reach. For LIU Jia, this could be her seventh Olympic appearance.

The men's team had won the World Championship title in 1936 in Prague, while in 2018, both ÖTTV teams finished fifth in Halmstad/Sweden. A success that would be enough for an Olympic ticket this year. Austria has been most successful on the world stage at the Team World Cup in modern times. In 2015, Robert GARDOS, Daniel HABESOHN, current Sports Director Stefan FEGERL, and current team coach CHEN Weixing even won silver in Dubai. In 2007 and 2010, the ÖTTV team finished third, while at the Olympics, they finished fourth in 2008 and fifth in 2012 and 2016. The women also finished fifth in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Team Austria in Busan/Korea (16.-25.2.)

Draw for Women, Group 6:

Hong Kong (Fr.), Portugal (Sa.), Austria, Australia (Di.), Kazakhstan (So.)

Roster: Sofia POLCANOVA, LIU Jia, Anastasia STERNER, Karoline MISCHEK

Draw for Men, Group 4:

France (So.), Denmark (Di.), Austria, Australia (Sa.), Algeria (Fr.)

Roster: Daniel HABESOHN, Andreas LEVENKO, Robert GARDOS, Maciej KOLODZIEJCZYK