A clean sweep of titles in New Taipei City, it was the same for Australia’s Lei Li Na and Yang Qian at the ITTF Taichung Para Open 2023 when play concluded on Monday 24th July, once again the duo proved imperious.
Together they won women’s doubles class 20, apart in the mixed doubles Lei Li Na partnered Sweden’s Emil Andersson to class 17 success, Yang Qian joined forces with colleague, Ma Lin to secure class 20 gold.
Earlier, in the women’s singles, once again Lei Li Na prevailed in class 8-9, Yang Qian in class 10.
Not to be left out, colleague Ma Lin joined the party; two gold and one bronze in New Taipei City; in Taichung he made no mistake.
Additional to the mixed doubles, he partnered Frenchman Lucas Didier to men’s doubles class 18 gold, having earlier enjoyed men’s singles class 9 success, the event in which five days earlier he had departed in the penultimate round.
Success as anticipated, in all instances, the Australians commenced matters the top seeds; in a similar vein, in the women’s singles events, as status advised, Alexandra Saint-Pierre from France replicated her New Taipei City efforts. She won class 5.
Rather differently, it was success once more for Japan’s Natsuki Wada in women’s singles class 11, as previously she started play the no.2 seed, again she beat the top seed to claim gold. In New Taipei City she had accounted for Hong Kong’s Wong Ting Ting at the final hurdle (11-6, 12-14, 12-10, 11-4) in Taichung, she overcame Japan’s Kanami Furukawa (8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-5).
The same outcome for Natsuki Wada, it was the same for Flora Vauthier of France and for Korea Republic’s Kim Seongok.
In New Taipei City it had been runners up spot; in Taichung it was just the same. Competing in women’s singles class 1-4, Flora Vauthier was beaten in the final by Korea Republic’s Yoon Jiyu (11-3, 11-7, 11-7), Kim Seongok by Hong Kong’s Chiu Kan Shan 11-8, 4-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-5).
Repeat outcomes in the women’s singles events, for Morgen Caillaud of France, in women’s singles class 6 it was one step lower. Gold in New Taipei City, in Taichung, not listed amongst the leading names, after recording a semi-final success against Korea Republic’s Lee Kunwoo, the top seed (11-13, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5), she was beaten by Iraq’s Najlah Al-Dayyeni, the no.2 seed (11-4, 11-9, 11-9).
Back-to-back success in the women’s singles, it was the same in the men’s singles.
In the wheelchair categories, Korea Republic’s Joo Youngdae yet again struck gold in class 1 as did the host’s Cheng Chih-Min in class 5.
Likewise, in the men’s singles standing events, Sweden’s Emil Andersson repeated his class 7 success, a feat realised by Chinese Taipei’s Sun Jin-Sian in class 10 and colleague Chen Po-Yen in class 11.
Consistent performances, for Korea Republic’s Jang Yeongjin and Denmark’s Peter Rosenmeier it was improvement. In class 3, Jang Yeongjin converted silver to gold, in class 6 Peter Rosenmeier bronze to gold.
Titles for Jang Yeongjin and Denmark’s Peter Rosenmeier as anticipated, they commenced play the top seeds; in class 2, it was the same in the men’s singles for Park Jincheol, also from Korea Republic and in class 7 for Japan’s Katsuyoshi Yagi.
Good form, Peter Rosenmeier continued that good form later in the proceedings, partnering Japan’s Yuri Tomono to mixed doubles class 14 gold.
Further success for the Dane; similarly, Korea Republic’s Kim Youngun and Yoon Jiyu joined forces to win mixed doubles class 7.
Adding to Korea Republic success, Jang Yeongjin made it two titles by partnering colleague Kim Hakjin to men’s doubles class 4 gold; in a similar vein, Natsuki Wada followed her women’s singles success by joining forces with compatriot Shunta Yamamoto to claim the top prize in mixed doubles class 22.
Gold for the Land of the Rising Sun; also, it was success in women’s doubles class 22, Maki Ito and Ayumi Kawasaki emerging victorious in women’s doubles class 22.
Similarly, Korea Republic added to their tally. Kim Changgi and Kim Gitae won men’s doubles class 22, An Mihyeon and Jung Younga prevailed in women’s doubles class 10.
Korea Republic prominent as proceedings came to a close, it was the same scenario for Indonesia. Adyos Astan and Yayang Gunaya claimed men’s doubles class 8 gold, Tatok Hardiyanto and Leli Marlina secured the top prize in mixed doubles class 10.
Asia prominent, European pairs were not omitted. Present in class 14, Spain’s Alejandro Diaz and Alberto Seoane won men’s doubles gold, Morgen Caillaud allied with her French compatriot, Lucie Hautière to enjoy women’s doubles success.
Play concluded in Taichung, attention now turns to Riyadh, the Saudi Arabia Para Open, a three-day event, commences on Tuesday 8th August.
