by Ian Marshall, Editor

Partnering colleague Farida Badawy, the player with whom she won the cadet girls’ team title, after accounting for Veranika Varabyova and Vera Volkava (11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 13-11), the duo experienced defeat at the hands of Italy’s Caterina Angeli and Nicole Arlia (11-4, 3-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-8).

So near yet so far; however, in the cadet girls’ singles there were no such troubles. In the later rounds Hana Goda accounted for Matilde Pinto (11-3, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4), followed by success against Spain’s Yanira Sanchez (11-4, 11-6, 11-3) and Nicole Arlia (11-4, 11-5, 11-5). In the opposite half of the draw, Nicole Arlia ended the hopes of Belarus. She beat Vera Volkava (11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 15-13) prior to reserving her place in the final by overcoming Veranika Varabyova (13-11, 11-9, 11-8).

“I knew I was the number one seed for all the events but I didn’t expect to win this much, I am very happy. I was very sad after we lost the doubles but my mother told me to calm down, to focus in the singles match. In the World Junior Championships I hope to do my best but I’m still young, so I hope I can make Egypt proud. In the long term I want to be World champion and Olympic champion.” Hana Goda

Two titles

Mixed fortunes for Egypt on the closing day of action in Guimarães; for Romania it was success upon success; gold for members of the squad that had won the cadet boys’ team title the previous day.

Andrei Teodor Istrate claimed the cadet boys’ singles event accounting for Spain’s Marc Miro in the quarter-finals (9-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8), prior to overcoming Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo in the penultimate round (8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8) and colleague Dragos Alexandru Bujor in the final (11-7, 11-8, 11-9). In the adjacent half of the draw in the later rounds, Dragos Alexandru Bujor had beaten Spain’s Ivan Martin (12-10, 11-6, 11-9), followed by success in opposition to Spain’s Daniel Berzosa (13-11, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7).

Success for Andrei Teodor Istrate against Dragos Alexandru Bujor but in the immediate preceding contest, an all Romanian affair, it had been the opposite situation; Dragos Alexandru Bujor and Daniel Moldovan beat Dragos Alexandru Bujor and Stefan Horia Ursut (8-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5) to secure the top step of the cadet boys’ doubles podium.

Earlier at the semi-final stage Andrei Teodor Istrate and Dragos Alexandru Bujor had accounted for the combination of Chile’s Gonzalo Caico and Rogelio Castro (9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9); Dragos Alexandru Bujor and Stefan Horia Ursut had overcome Daniel Bersoza and Marc Miro (4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7).

Play concluded in Guimarães; next on the calendar for aspiring young players is the NSDF 2019 ITTF World Junior Championships. Plays starts in Korat, Thailand on Sunday 24th November.