by Ian Marshall, Editor
Pride of place went to Stéphane Molliens; partnering Julien Michaud, the no.2 seeds, the pair upset the order of merit to secure the men’s team class 2 title. In a group organised event, they finished ahead of the Czech Republic’s Jiri Suchanek and Martin Zvolanek. The top seeded combination of Russia’s Evgenii Riazantcev and Italy’s Federico Crosara had to settle for third place.
Rather differently in the men’s team competition for Andrea Borgato, Feng Panfeng and Abdullah Ozturk, it was success as anticipated, they commenced play the top seeds.
In class 1, likewise in a group administered event, Andrea Borgato in partnership with colleague Federico Falco finished ahead of Korea Republic’s Park Sungjoo and Lim Seeun. In class 3 Feng Panfeng and Zhai Xiang promoted the Chinese cause. They registered a 2-0 win against Korea Republic’s Kim Jeongseok and Kim Jinseong to claim gold; the same margin Abdullah Ozturk and compatriot, Hamza Caliskan, recorded in the class 4-5 final when facing Frenchman Nicolas Savant-Aira and Belgium’s Bert Brands.
Equally successful but tested rather more, Zhao Shuai and Peng Weinan added to Chinese success by recording a 2-1 final win in class 8 when facing Belgium’s Marc Philippe Ledoux who partnered Israel’s Zeev Glikman.
Top seeds prevail
Similarly in the women’s team competition, Zhang Bian joined forces with Zhou Ying and Xue Juan to emerge the class 3-5 champions as expected; the duo securing a 2-0 win in the final when opposing Croatia’s Helena Dretar and Andela Muzinic. Impressive from China, it was the same in class 6-8, a group organised event; Mao Jingdian and Wang Rui reserved first place ahead of the combination formed by Japan’s Yuri Tomono and Suzan Klomp of the Netherlands. Notably they emerged the champions without surrendering a single individual match.
Titles for the top seeds; it was the prominent feature on the closing day of play in Stadskanaal.
The women’s team events witnessed success for China’s Liu Jing and Brazil’s Catia da Silva Oliveira; in a group organised event they prevailed in class 1-2, finishing ahead of the pairing formed by Florence Gossiaux-Sireau of France and Germany’s Janina Sommer. Similar to Mao Jingdian and Wang Rui, they recorded 2-0 wins every fixture. Likewise, Turkey’s Neslihan Kavas and Ümran Ertis emerged the class 9-10 champions; at the final hurdle they secured a 2-0 win in opposition to Ukraine’s Iryna Shynkarova and Marharyta Satanovska.
More success for favourites
Wins as status advised, it was the same in class 9, a group arranged event, the pairing formed by Ukraine’s Lev Kats and Finland’s Esa Miettinen finished ahead of the outfit comprising Hong Kong’s Wong Chi Yan and Malaysia’s Chee Chao Ming.
Notably in the men’s singles class 9 event, Lev Kats had beaten Esa Miettinen (11-8, 11-8, 2-11, 10-12, 11-4), before losing in the final to Japan’s Koyo Iwabuchi (5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5).
“Yes, I am happy, it is always nice to win an event. I met Lev in the quarter-finals of the individual event where he beat me and proceeded to the final, to win the silver medal.” Esa Miettinen
Surprises
Outcomes as expected; however, in the men’s team events, in addition to the success of Stéphane Molliens and Julien Michaud, there were two further surprises. In class 6-7 the partnership comprising Croatia’s Pavao Jozic and Germany’s Bjoern Schnake emerged the winners, in class 10, Indonesia’s David Jacobs and Kusnanto Kusnanto claimed gold.
On the second day of play, Pavao Jozic and Germany’s Bjoern Schnake had recorded a 2-1 win against the top seeds, Denmark’s Peter Rosenmeier and Henrik Brammer; in the final they met again, the result the same.
Meanwhile, in class 10, also not seeded, David Jacobs and Kusnanto Kusnanto posted a 2-1 against Russia’s Iuri Nozdrunov and Pavel Lukyanov to secure the title, the Russians having at the semi-final stage recorded a 2-0 win in opposition to Japan’s Koyo Iwabuchi and Nariaki Kakita.
Play concluded in Stadskanaal, the next stop on the para calendar is the Argentine capital city of Buenos Aires; the two day Para Copa Tango Junior Open commences on Wednesday 20th November, being followed immediately on Friday 22nd November by the Para XVII Copa Tango Open.
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