|
Mikael Appelgren once again a World champion
Photo By: Courtesy of David Gustafsson
|
06/30/2012
2012 World Veteran Championships
Celebrated names, those who have been embroiled in the heat of table tennis at the highest levels, emerged victorious at the World Veteran Championships in Stockholm, as a total of eight men’s and eight women’s singles events, brought matters to a conclusion.
Belgium’s Philippe Saive won the Men’s Singles 40-49 category with the host nation’s Mikael Appelgren succeeding in the Men’s Singles 50-59 years class and gaining revenge. The Swede reversed the decision of earlier in the group stage of proceedings when he had suffered defeat at the hands of Australia’s Lu Qiwei.
World Veteran Championships 2012: Updated Results
They met again in the final; this time with a different result.
Hard Earned Victory
However, the victory was hard earned.
Mikael Appelgren trailed by two games to one and was level at 9-all in the fourth game, before asserting his authority on proceedings (11-4, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4).
Success for Alessia Arisi
Similarly, in the Women’s Singles 40-49 class, there was success for a notable name.
Italy’s Alessia Arisi won struck gold beating China’s Wang Ping in the final (11-9, 11-7, 11-8).
Japan the Dominant Force
Success for Alessia Arisi and thus for Italy; however the dominant force in the Women’s Singles events was Japan.
Akiko Ikeda
They won four of the eight titles on offer with Akiko Ikeda taking pride of place.
She won the Women’s Singles 70-74 class and in so doing collected no less than her fifth Women’s Singles title at the World Veteran Championships. She becomes the most successful player, male or female, in the history of the 30 year old competition.
Remaining Titles
The remaining titles for Japan were won by Yumi Oshima (Women’s Singles 50-59 years), Katsuko Okura (Women’s Singles 65-69 years) and Akiko Tasa (Women’s Singles 80-84 years).
Akiko Ikeda won her fifth World veteran Championships Women’s Singles title in Stockholm
Photo courtesy of Christian Heyerdahl
Honours Shared
Four titles for Japan, one for Italy and the remainder in the Women’s Singles events were shared.
Germany’s Monika Kneip (Women’s Singles 60-64 years), England’s Betty Bird (75-79 years) and the Czech Republic’s Eliska Krejova (Over 85 years) all concluded proceedings standing proudly on the top step of the medal podium.
Two Titles for Sweden
Meanwhile, in the Men’s Singles events, only the host nation boasted more than one winner.
In addition to Mikael Appelgren, Curt Österholm won the Men’s Singles Over 85 class.
Philippe Saive the winner of the Men’s Singles 40-49 years category in Stockholm
Photo courtesy of Christian Heyerdahl
Europeans in Form
Otherwise it was honours shared with six further European players emulating Philippe Saive.
Denmark’s Claus Pedersen (Men’s Singles 60-64 years), Dieter Lippelt (Men’s Singles 70-74 years), the Czech Republic’s Josef Rakosnik (Men’s Singles 75-80 years) and England’s Geoffrey Bax (Men’s Singles 80-84 years) flew the flag for Europe; for Asia the one win was claimed by China
Wang Yin (Men’s Singles 65-69 years) struck gold.
Look South
Six days of intense action in the Ericsson Dome thus came to a successful conclusion; now eyes focus on the southern hemisphere, New Zealand is the home in 2014.
The contract for 2014 is signed, New Zealand delegation with members of the Swaythling Club International
Photo courtesy of Christian Heyerdahl
|
