by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Success and it was success as predicted; all three outfits occupied the top seeded positions in their respective categories.

However, there were surprises as proceedings drew to a close in Cluj-Napoca; the biggest being in Class 1-2 where Serbia’s Goran Perlic and Boris Stoiljkovic, the lowest rated of the five teams in the event, remained unbeaten in a group organised event.

Notably they finished ahead of the French combination of Fabien Lamirault, Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist and Alan Papirer; the crucial contest against the French partnership being the doubles. The Serbians won in four games (11-9, 10-12, 13-11, 11-8), before Fabien Lamirault levelled matters by overcoming Goran Perlic (11-7, 11-8, 11-4) and Boris Stoiljkovic accounted for Alan Papirer (11-4, 11-6, 11-4) to seal the victory.

Second place for the top seeds, in Class 6 it was the same scenario. The host nation’s Florin Milciu and Bobi Simon experienced a two-nil defeat in opposition to Japan’s Junki Itai and Kazuki Shichino; a pair very much in form. They completed the whole event without the loss of a single individual match.

Meanwhile, in Men’s Team Class 8, also organised on a group basis, the combination of Italy’s Francesco Lorenzini and Brazil’s Tiziano Zabarino, the third highest rated team in the event, emerged as champions.

Similar to Junki Itai and Kazuki Shichino, they recorded two matches to nil wins in each contest; second place finished in the hands of Norway’s Pablo Jacobsen and Steffen Salomonsen, with the Romanian top seeded pairing of Mihai Miron and Dorel Muresan in third position.

Success for Italy against the odds, it was similar scenario in Class 9-10; an event in which Mohamed Amine Kalem partnered Denmark’s Martin Neilsen to gold.

After beating Bulgarian top seeds, Denislav Kodjabashev and Yordan Mitev in the initial stage by two matches to nil; they maintained the same good form to record victories by the same margin over Great Britain’s Ryan Henry and Shae Thakker, before in a similar manner, clinching the title at the final expense of Poland’s Pawel Jablonski and Pawel Konstantyn.

Gold for Mohamed Amine Kalem and a very successful experience; alongside Darko Babi, Rafael Lis, Mitar Palikuca, Peter Rosenmeier and Miroslav Jambor, he departed Cluj-Napoca with two titles to his name. One day earlier all had enjoyed Men’s Singles success.

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Men’s Junior Singles Events (Tuesday 21st March)

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Women’s Junior Singles Events (Tuesday 21st March)

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Men’s Singles Events (Friday 24th March)

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Women’s Singles Events (Friday 24th March)

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Men’s Team Events (Saturday 25th March)

2017 Romanian Para International Championships: Full Results – Women’s Team Events (Saturday 25th March)