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Current leader on the ITTF Junior Girls’ Standings, Lam Yee Lok returns to ITTF Junior Circuit action.
She leads the Hong Kong contingent at the forthcoming Egypt Junior and Cadet Open, a Premier status tournament, which starts in Ismailiya on Wednesday 19th June and concludes on Sunday 23rd June 2013.
Winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the Italian Junior Open earlier this year in March, Lam Yee Lok lines up alongside Soo Wai Yam, Mak Tze Wing and Doo Hoi Kem in the Hong Kong Girls’ Team; all players who have impressed on the ITTF Junior Circuit.
Impressive Performances
Soo Wai Yam was the runner up in the Junior Girls’ Singles event at the French Junior and Cadet Open in March and occupies fourth spot on the ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Standings.
An impressive performance by Soo Wai Yam in France, one week earlier in Italy, Mak Tze Wing, who is only 14 years old, reached the quarter-final round of the Junior Girls’ Singles.
Three Times Silver Medallist
Meanwhile, Doo Hoi Kem has yet to make her mark on this year’s ITTF Junior Circuit but most certainly she is a player who can challenge for honours in Ismailiya.
On three occasions she has been the runner up on the ITTF Junior Circuit, she was the Junior Girls’ silver medallist in Italy and France in 2011 and in Spain one year ago in 2012.
Boys Provide Stiff Opposition
Equally, the young men from Hong Kong will provide stiff opposition in Ismailiya.
Lam Siu Hang is currently listed at no.12 on the ITTF Junior Circuit Boys’ Standings, his best performance of the year being a bronze medal in Thailand; also on duty is Li Hon Ming, a quarter-finalist a Junior Boys’ Singles quarter-finalist in Italy and France.
They are joined by Kwan Ma Ho, a debutant on this year’s ITTF Junior Circuit.
Road to Nanjing Attracts Strong Entry
However, there is a very strong challenge for the aspiring players from Hong Kong, the fact that the Egypt Junior and Cadet Open is a “Road to Nanjing” tournament, the first steps to gaining a place in the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
Thailand Winner on Duty
In the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechakul appears on the entry list; he is presently listed at no.11 on the Junior Boys’ Standing, the talented left hander having been crowned champion earlier this year on home soil at the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open.
Host Nation's Hope
Also named on the entry list is Shady Magdy, he leads the host nation’s entry of a quite staggering 62 players for the five day tournament; the winner of the Junior Boys’ Singles title earlier this year in Tunisia, he is presently named at no.25 on the ITTF Junior Circuit Boys’ Standings.
Certainly Shady Magdy and Padasak Tanviriyavechakul are challengers for honours but there are also other names to note who have yet to assert their authority on this year’s ITTF Junior Circuit.
Huang Chien-Tu a Name to Note
Huang Chien-Tu, who won the Junior Boys’ Singles title in both Guatemala and El Salvador in 2012, leads the Chinese Taipei challenge; whilst for Poland Patryk Zatowka, the Junior Boys’ Singles runner up Malta last year and a member of the ITTF World Hopes Team in 2009, is on duty.
American Honours Candidates
Equally, in the Junior Girls’ events there is a major challenge for Hong Kong; the major challenge coming from the United States of America.
Both Lily Zhang and Ariel Hsing appear on the entry list and both have ITTF Junior Circuit Girls’ Singles titles to their credit.
Ariel Hsing won on home soil in Grand Rapids in 2012, Lily Zhang succeeded in Laval at the Canadian Junior and Cadet Open in 2009.
Established on Senior Scene
Furthermore, both are now established competitors on the senior scene, last September Ariel Hsing won the Intercontinental Cup title at the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Huangshi, whilst most recently Lily Zhang secured gold in the ITTF-North American Cup and is currently in a rich vein of form.
At the recent ITTF World Tour China Open in Changchun, she beat Germany’s highly rated Zhenqi Barthel in the first round of the Women’s Singles event, a win she rated as the best in her life.
Bahrain Winner on Duty
A strong challenge from the United States and there is also a strong challenge from Chinese Taipei.
Lin Chia-Hsuan, the winner of the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the first ITTF Junior Circuit tournament of the year, the Bahrain Junior and Cadet Open and at no.8 on the Standings, is named on the start list.
Entry
In total, 67 boys and 60 girls have entered the tournament of whom 62 are in the cadet age group and 65 in the junior level.
Meanwhile, 16 national associations are represented: Algeria, Brazil, Chinese Taipei, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Singapore, Thailand and the United States of America.
Article By: Ian Marshall
Photo By: Rémy Gros
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