China paddlers reign supreme at Oman Junior & Cadet Open
MUSCAT: Chinese paddlers won the majority of the titles on offer as the curtains came down on the inaugural Oman Junior and Cadet Open at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday.
The championships, the first ITTF Premium Junior Circuit event to be organised in the Sultanate, concluded with Minister of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Mardhouf Al Saadi presiding over a colourful closing ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by Khalil Al Mahanadi, vice-chairman of International Table Tennis Federation, and Oman Table Tennis Committee chief Abdullah bin Mohammed Ba Mukhalif. After clinching the team titles on Saturday, the Chinese dominated the finals of the individual category with Licen Yuan leading the way by winning the junior boys gold.
In an all Chinese final, Licen Yuan defeated Haidong Xu 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-14, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9.
The cadet boys final too was an all Chinese affair where Peng Xiang defeated Mengyang Xiong 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7
In the junior girls final, China’s Binyue Zhang defeated Thailand’s Jinnipa Sawettabut 11-7, 11-8, 114, 9-11, 11-5.
In the cadet girls final, China’s Lu Yuqi defeated compatriot Man Kuai 11-8, 12-10, 11-5.
In the hopes boys final, Mohammed Amin Samdi of Iran defeated Ebrahim Abdulhakim of yemen 119, 11-8, 11-8.
Meanwhile, India’s Suhana Saini took the top honours in the hopes girls category with a 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 win.
Earlier in the championships, China won the team titles in jun- ior boys, cadet boys and cadet girls categories. Final day results: Junior boys final: Licen Yuan (CHN) bt Haidong Xu (CHN) 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-14, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9.
Cadet boys final: Peng Xiang (CHN) bt Mengyang Xiong (CHN) 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7
Junior girls final: Binyue Zhang (CHN) bt Jinnipa Sawettabut (THA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5.
Cadet girls final: Lu Yuqi (CHN) bt Man Kuai (CHN) 11-8, 12-10, 11-5.
Hopes boys final: Mohammed Amin Samdi (IRI) bt Ebrahim Abdulhakim (YEM) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.