May 7, 2008

Final World Olympic Qualification Tournament

Czech Petr Korbel aims at a fifth Olympic participation. Photo By: Rémy Gros

Courtesy of ITTF From May 8th to 11th, table tennis players from all around the world are trying to qualify for the Olympic Games Singles events. The three best players each out of seventy-five male players from forty-five nations and fifty-six female players from thirty-four nations will represent their respective countries in Beijing. Some additional spots will be added if the Team Quota (twenty-two places) is not fully utilized; this depends on the sixteen teams qualified for the Olympic team event.

The Older the Better
In the men's draw there are some famous players who fight for their probable last Olympic participation. Jean-Michel Saive (38), Petr Korbel (36), Damien Eloi (38) and Trinko Keen (36) are all beyond thirty-five years; though the real "oldie" is Yang Min.

Born in 1963, the Italian is seeded thirteenth in Budapest and might become one of the oldest table tennis player in the Chinese capital. The oldest however will be Spain's He Zhi Wen, who was born in 1962 and has already qualified for the Games.

Three Romanians and three Poles Hopeful
Romania with Adrian Crisan, Andrei Filimon and Constantin Cioti as well as Poland with Lucjan Blaszczyk, Wang Zeng Yi, and Daniel Gorak should be able to pull at least one player through.

Chiang Peng-Lung and Chang Yen-Shu from Taipei as well as Cheung Yuk from Hong Kong will try everything to "steal" one of the remaining spots from the Europeans.

Hungary's and Hong Kong's Women are Strong
In the women's draw several nations only have one player already qualified. Therefore Hong Kong, Belarus, Russia, Hungary, Taipei, Italy and France hope for good results from their two respective players in order to qualify for the Olympic team event.

The most promising starting positions in the women's draw belong to Hong Kong and to Hungary. Lin Ling and Tie Yana were confirmed Olympic eligible subsequently by the IOC; that's why they have to qualify for the Games via Budapest in spite of their top twenty world ranking position.

Hungary's Georgina Pota and Petra Lovas, who both missed the ticket to Beijing at the European Qualification Tournament in Nantes, are seeded fourth and sixth respectively.

 

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