by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Competing in the Men’s events, Chao Sooyong, having won the Class 2 individual title the previous day, secured Class 1-2 Team gold in partnership with Lee Jungi, a group organised competition that was dominated by Korea.
Colleagues Song Byungjun and Ko Myungyun, alongside Lee Haekon, the Men’s Singles Class 1 winner, concluded proceedings in second place.
Impressive from Chao Sooyong, it was the same from Kim Kiyoung, in the same category as he won individual gold, he won team gold. He partnered colleague Kim Kyungyoung to Class 4-5 success, in a group organised event, the pair finished ahead of the United States combination formed by Ahad Sarand and Stuart Caplin.
Runners up spot for the host nation; it was the same in Class 6-7, the category where Masachika Inoue repeated his Men’s Singles success. Partnering Takuya Shibasaki, the pair finished ahead of the combination formed by Ian Seidenfeld, Ari Arratia and Masoud Mojtahed.
Success for Japan, in the Men’s Team events, there was further success for the Land of the Rising Sun, Koyo Iwabuchi and Nobuyuki Suzuki combined to win Class 8-10, at the final hurdle they overcame Chile’s Valentin Letelier and Manuel Echaveguren by two matches to one.
Silver for South America but there was gold; Brazil’s Welder Knaf and David Andrade de Freitas combined the win the Class 3 title. At the final hurdle they recorded a two-one win in opposition to the United States combination of Jenson Van Emburgh and Jesse Cejudo. Notably, Jenson Van Emburgh, who had won the Men’s Singles Class 3 title earlier in the week, recorded the one United States victory; he beat David Andrade de Freitas in the second match of the fixture (11-8, 11-7, 11-5).
Noteworthy performances and in each instance gold for the top seeded outfits; it was the same in the one Women’s Team event contested. The French partnership formed by Florence Gossiaux-Sireau and Emmanuelle Ferrier won the Class 2-5 title; in a group administered event, the finished in first place ahead of the United States pairing of Pamela Fontaine and Jennifer Johnson.
Play concluded in Las Vegas, attention now turns to Jakarta; the 2018 Indonesia Para Open commences on Sunday 1st July.
2018 United States Para Open: Results and Draws