A full schedule, for Jenson van Emburgh of the United States, Colombia’s Alvaro Puerto, and Korea Republic’s Kang Seohyeon, the ITTF Copa Cristina Hoffmann 2022 proved a tiring but eventually most successful venture.
On Wednesday 8th June, they departed the Mexican resort of Cancun, each with a full house of titles; thus, they matched the efforts of Ukraine’s Maryna Lytovchenko, the only other player to achieve the feat since doubles replaced team events at the start of the year.
At the ITTF Slovenia Open in May, Maryna Lytovchenko won women’s singles class 6, before partnering Hungary’s Zsofia Arloy to women’s doubles class 14 gold and compatriot Viktor Didukh to claim the mixed doubles class 14 title.
In Cancun, having secured the men’s singles class 2-3 title, joining forces with colleagues, Jenson van Emburgh partnered Ahad Saland to men’s doubles class 8 success, before combining with Pamela Fontaine to win mixed doubles class 7.
Similarly, in harness with colleagues, Alvaro Puerto added to his men’s singles class 10 victory. He concluded his itinerary by partnering Jessica Alzate to claim the mixed doubles class 20 top prize, having earlier in the day struck mixed doubles class 20 gold with Jessica Alzate.
Not to be overshadowed, Kang Seohyeon, the women’s singles class 11 winner, paired with colleague Sin Nahea to reserve the women’s doubles class 22 title; later, alongside Thailand’s Narongsak Paengjai, in the same category, she emerged the mixed doubles class 22 winner.
Three titles secured, for Thailand’s Rungroj Thainiyom and Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri, alongside Chile’s Tamara Leonelli, Great Britain’s Lucie Bouron and Jean-Paul Montanus of the Netherlands it was two each.
One day earlier in the men’s singles events Rungroj Thainiyom and Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri had won class 6 and class 8 respectively; on the third day of play they combined to secure the men’s doubles class 14 title.
Likewise, Tamara Leonelli added to her women’s singles class 4-5 gold, joining forces with Great Britain’s Lucie Bouron to secure to top prize in women’s doubles class 10.
Earlier in the day, Lucie Bouron had partnered Great Britain colleague, Simon Heaps to success in mixed doubles class 10, a win that deprived Tamara Leonelli of three titles.
Organised on a group basis, in the concluding match, both pairs hitherto unbeaten, the British pair recovered from a two games to nil defict to beat Tamara Leonelli and Gerardus van Grunsven on the Netherlands in five games (4-11, 6-11, 11-7, 15-13, 11-6).
So year yet so far to a full house, it was the same for Jean-Paul Montanus, the men’s singles class 7 winner. He emerged victorious in mixed doubles class 14 partnering compatriot, Kelly van Zon but in men’s doubles class 14 had to settle for silver.
Partnering Germany’s Jochen Wollmert, the duo finished in second position in a group organised format behind Rungroj Thainiyom and Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri.
Meanwhile, in the remaining events on the concluding day of play, it was smiles for Latin America.
The host nation’s Elias Murillo and José Vazquez donned the men’s doubles class 22 crown; Chile’s Florence Perez and Joseline Yevenes prevailed in women’s doubles class 20.
Play concluded in Cancun, attention now turns to Ostrava, the three day ITTF Czech Para Open 2022, the Jiri Danek Memorial, commences on Thursday 23rd June.
