by Ian Marshall, Editor
The three medallists in each of the men’s singles and women’s singles events secure places in Tokyo. Similarly, the gold medallists in each of the men’s team and women’s team competitions gain qualification, as do the mixed doubles winners; all being subject to National Olympic Committee approval,
Notably for Vladimir Samsonov his target is twofold. On the one hand to make his seventh consecutive Olympic Games appearance, his debut being in 1996 in Atlanta, on the other to climb one step higher than four years ago in Baku when beaten in the final by Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
Almost as impressive for Panagiotis Gionis, his aim is a fifth such appearance, his initiation being in 2004 on home soil in Athens, for Marcos Freitas, the quest is to make it four in succession, his first venture was in 2008 in Beijing.
It is the men’s singles and women’s singles events which start play. Germany’s Timo Boll, aiming for a sixth consecutive Olympic Games appearance, heads the men’s singles seeding ahead of Sweden’s Mattias Falck. The defending champion, Dimitrij Ovtcharov is the no.3 seed, he is followed by Great Britain’s Liam Pitchford. Vladimir Samsonov, Frenchman Simon Gauzy, pursued by Austria’s Daniel Habesohn and Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson complete the top eight names.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles event, Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, Austria’s Sofia Polcanova and Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm occupy the top three respective seeded positions ahead of Germany’s Petrissa Solja, Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and Hungary’s Georgina Pota. Li Jie, the runner up in Baku when beaten by now retired colleague, Li Jiao, is the no.7 seed, Portugal’s Fu Yu is the no.8 seed.
The mixed doubles event will commence on Sunday 23rd June, the men’s team and women’s team competitions on Thursday 27th June.
Minsk 2019 European Games – Table Tennis: Qualification Procedure
Minsk 2019 European Games – Table Tennis: Schedule of Play
Minsk 2019 European Games – Table Tennis: Special Team Ranking Men (December 2018)
Minsk 2019 European Games – Table Tennis: Special Team Ranking Women (December 2018)
Minsk 2019 European Games – Table Tennis: Latest Results
