by Simon Daish

The Under 21 Women’s Singles gold medal was already a certainty to end up in the hands of the Japanese team with both finalists representing the country.

Opposing Mizuki Morizono in the final was Miyu Maeda, who entered the Under 21 tournament as the second highest ranked player but that didn’t dampen Morizono’s spirits having eliminated the top ranked player Kyoka Kato in the previous round.

Morizono was the faster player out of the blocks in the final and before long she held a two games advantage over her fellow compatriot, but Maeda hit back with a good response in the third end to cut the score deficit to a single game.

However, Maeda couldn’t add to her game win and following a competent display in the fourth game it was Morizono who went on to lift the Under 21 Women’s Singles trophy for the first time.

Mizuki was also the lucky name in the Under 21 Men’s Singles final as Mizuki Oikawa powered to a straight games victory over Czech competitor Tomas Polansky.

Earlier in the day Oikawa and Polansky met in the preliminary qualifying round for the Men’s Singles event, the Japanese player emerged successful from that tie and pulled off another win against the Czech in the Under 21 final.

Very little separated the two players in the final with each of the three games decided by a two point margin, but Oikawa held the slight edge over the course of the tie and will be delighted to capture the title win in Panagyurishte.