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China’s Fan Zhendong and Liu Gaoyang, both occupying the top seeded position in the draw, won the respective Boys’ and Girls’ Singles titles at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing on Monday 19th August 2013.
They closed the curtain in the table tennis events at the multi-sport spectacular, which in many ways was a test event for next year’s Youth Olympic Games.
In both finals they overcame colleagues. All-China finals were the order of the day.
Fan Zhendong beat Liang Jingkun (11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3) and, in a much closer contest, Liu Gaoyang eventually accounted for Zhu Chaohui (3-11, 11-8, 11-7, 16-14, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6).
Gold and silver for China, it was bronze for Hong Kong and India. Most certainly members of the former could return home with heads held high.
Hong Kong captured three of the four bronze medals on offer; there was no play-off contest, both silver medallists gained bronze medals.
Lam Sui Hang secured bronze for Hong Kong in the Boys’ Singles event. Having overcome Korea’s Kim Minhyeok in the quarter-finals (11-8, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 13-15, 11-8), before he was beaten in the semi-finals by Liang Jingkun (11-6, 3-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-4).
Meanwhile, in the counterpart Girls’ Singles competition Lam Yee Lok and Doo Hoi Kem made sure both bronze medals were in Hong Kong hands.
In the round of the last eight, Lam Yee Lok accounted for Japan’s Ayane Morita (14-12, 11-2, 11-5, 11-8); whilst Doo Hoi Kem ended the hopes of Korea’s Lee Seul (11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4).
Both were fine performances against worthy adversaries who have impressed on the ITTF Junior Circuit; one round later for both it was defeat but defeat with honour.
Lam Yee Lok was beaten by Liu Gaoyang (11-3, 14-12, 11-9, 11-7), Doo Hoi Kem by Zhu Chaohui (11-6, 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9).
Three fine efforts from Hong Kong and there was one from India as Abishek Yadav excelled expectations.
He beat Malaysia’s Dunley Foo in the quarter-finals (11-6, 11-5, 15-13, 5-11, 18-16). Before bowing out against Fan Zhendong but he did not bow out meekly, he gave the champion elect a torrid time; it was a relieved Fan Zhendong who secured a six games win (11-4, 11-13, 11-13, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5).
Most certainly his performance and that of the Hong Kong trio caught the eye of Mikael Andersson, the ITTF Senior Consultant for Development, Education and Training.
Mikael Andersson reports:
“Let’s face it – we do love the underdogs don’t we? The rest of Asia versus China in four semi-finals in Nanjing. Four athletes tried – played hard – played their best and really gave their Chinese opponents something to think about.
We had the Hong Kong duo of Doo Hoi Kem and especially the vastly improved Lam Yee Lok competing hard in the Junior Girls’ Singles.
Also in the Boys Singles the tall, right-handed hard hitter Lam Siu Hang from Hong Kong played much better than his current junior world ranking (no.65). He showed aspiration and hunger in his semi-final despite losing four-one to Liang Jingkun from China.
Results
Boys’ Singles
Quarter-Finals
Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Sun Chia-Hung (TPE) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3
Abishek Yadav (IND) bt Dunley Foo (MAS) 11-6, 11-5, 15-13, 5-11, 18-16
Lam Sui Hang (HKG) bt Kim Minyeok (KOR) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 13-15, 11-8
Liang Jingkun (CHN) bt Huang Chien-Tu (TPE) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8
Semi-Finals
Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Abishek Yadav (IND) 11-4, 11-13, 11-13, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5
Liang Jingkun (CHN) bt Lam Sui Hang (HKG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-4
Final
Fan Zhendong (CHN) bt Liang Jingkun (CHN) 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3
Girls’ Singles
Quarter-Finals
Liu Gaoyang (CHN) bt Chiu Ssu-Hua (TPE) 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Lam Yee Lok (HKG) bt Ayane Morita (JPN) 14-12, 11-2, 11-5, 11-8
Zhu Chaohui (CHN) bt Huang Yu-Wen (TPE) 11-5, 11-5, 12-10, 11-6
Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) bt Lee Seul (KOR) 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4
Semi-Finals
Liu Gaoyang (CHN) bt Lam Yee Lok (HKG) 11-2, 14-12, 11-9, 11-7
Zhu Chaohui (CHN) bt Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9
Final
Liu Gaoyang (CHN) bt Zhu Chaohui (CHN) 3-11, 11-8, 11-7, 16-14, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6
Download Results and Further Information
The Asian Youth Games: Full information and results
The Asian Youth Games: Wikipedia � The Asian Youth Games
Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall
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