Lam Yee Lok Extends Lead at Top of ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Standings

The runner up in the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the recently concluded Thailand Junior and Cadet Open in Bangkok on Wednesday 8^th May 2013, Hong Kong’s 16 year old Lam Yee Lok extends her lead at the top of the ITTF Junior Girls’ Singles Standings.

Previously with 1,920 points, she now has 2,760 points; her advantage over the field is now in excess of 1,000 points; her nearest rival is Japan’s Ayane Morita who was not present in Thailand.

She remains in second place with 1,740 points.

The status quo but for the respective Junior Girls’ Singles and Junior Boys’ Singles winners in Bangkok it is meteoric ascendancy.

Hitomi Sato, like Ayane Morita from Japan, enters the race for a place in the Finals in January 2014 at no.10 with 1,200 points; whilst Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechal climbs over from no.127 to no.8; he owns 1,320 points.

Top place firmly cemented by Lam Yee Lok and there is progress for four of her colleagues from Hong Kong.

On the ITTF Junior Boys’ Standings, Hung Ka Tak, who unexpectedly departed in the second round in Thailand, is now at no.5 with 1,392 points. Lam Siu Hang, who reached the Junior Boys’ Singles semi-finals in Bangkok is at no.9 with 1,308 points; whilst Li Hon Ming who departed one round earlier in Bangkok is now at no.11 with 1,296 points.

Previously Hung Ka Tak was at no.5, Lam Siu Hang at no.18 and Li Hon Ming at no.11.

Progress for the Hong Kong boys; in addition to Lam Yee Lok; Mak Tze Wing also makes progress; she advances from no.39 to no.21 and now has 756 points; in Thailand, she reached the quarter-finals of the Junior Girls’ Singles event.

Also there is progress for the rising stars from Chinese Taipei.

Wen Wei-Chieh climbs from no.7 to no.3 on the Junior Boys’ Standings with 1,536 points; whilst Wang Tai-Wei advances from no.16 to no.12. He has 1,176 points. In Bangkok both reached the quarter-finals of the Junior Boys’ Singles event.

Similarly, on the Junior Girls’ Standings, two players from Chinese Taipei keep their hopes of a place in the Finals next January alive despite not enjoying the best of fortunes in Bangkok.

Both Lin Chia-Hsuan and Chen Yen-Hsin departed in the opening round of the Junior Girls’ Singles event; Lin Chia-Hsuan remains at no.6 with 1,536 points, Chen Yen-Hsin drops one place to no.22 with 744 points.

However, like Lam Yee Lok, both have met the basic Finals qualification criteria of competing in two continents. Earlier in the year Lam Yee Lok won in Italy whilst Lin Chia-Hsuan and Chen Yen-Hsin were both on duty in the Czech Republic.

Progress for Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong; there is also good news for Korea and Sweden.

The latter’s Jonas Stener and Elias Ranefur now occupy joint 15^th position on the Junior Boys’ Standings with 1,128 points. Previously Jonas Stener was at no.22, Elias Ranefur ten places lower.

In Thailand both reached the latter stages of the Junior Boys’ Singles event; Jonas Stener progressed to the quarter-finals, Elias Ranefur excelled to reach the semi-finals.

New heights for Jonas Stener and Elias Ranefur and also for Korea’s Kim Moogang, the runner up in the Junior Boys’ Singles event in Thailand; he enters the race at no.21 with 840 points.

Progress but in the Junior Boys’ Standings the top two names, not present in Thailand, remain the same.

Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chia-Sheng heads the list with 3,000 points ahead of Enzo Angles who has 2,040 points.

However, for other leading names who did not travel to Bangkok it is a downward direction.

England’s Sam Walker, on duty in New Delhi at the Commonwealth Championships, falls one place to no.3 with 1,432 points, whilst Can Akkuzu of France is now level with Hung Ka Tak in fifth place on 1,392 points. Previously he was one position higher.

Also, for Argentina’s Fermin Tenti is a lower status; the Junior Boys’ Singles winner in April in Buenos Aires, he falls two places to no.7 with 1,360 points being narrowly ahead of Padasak Tanviriyavechakul and Lam Siu Hang.

Paul Gauzy of France, previously at no.6, completes the top ten names with 1,296 points.

Meanwhile, in the elite places on the Junior Girls’ Standings, Hong Kong’s Soo Wai Yam, not in action in Bangkok, retains third place with 1,740 points behind Lam Yee Lok and Ayane Morita.

Sweden’s Linda Bergström continues in fourth place with 1,578 points ahead of Croatia’s Lea Rakovac with 1,536 points and Chinese Tapei’s Lin Chia-Hsuan.

Not on duty in Bangkok, Marie Migot of France (1,296 points), Japan’s Rira Ishikawa (1,290 points) and Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsin (1,250 points) are the next in line with Hitomi Sato completing the top ten.

Eyes now focus on the Spanish Junior and Cadet Open in Platja d’Aro which commenced on Wednesday 8^th May and concludes on Sunday 12^th May 2013.

Article By: ITTF - Ian Marshall