TABLE TENNIS
ABERDARE’S Tom Matthews was among the medal winners at the Lignano Masters Para Table Tennis Open in Italy.
Matthews, a member of the British team, won a bronze after losing in the semi-finals of the men’s class 1 singles.
After a close opening game, he was a comfortable 3-0 winner against Romanian Alexandru Imbuzan and secured first place in his group with another 3-0 win against Russian Dmity Lavrov.
The 24-year-old came through his quarter-final against Daniel Lazov from Croatia 3-1, but found the experienced Endre Major on his best form in the semi-final, the Hungarian Rio semi-finalist winning 3-0.
“I could have played better,” admitted Matthews. “But fair play to Major – he bought his Agame and played really well to win that match.
“After my win in Las Vegas last year, I put a lot of expectation on myself and I did well to get to the semi-finals. Major is a great player and went on to win the gold, so I have to congratulate him.”
Three Blaenau Gwent players have been selected to represent Wales in the world table tennis championships in Germany from May 29 to June 5.
Daniel O’Connell and Welsh women’s champion Charlotte Carey, both from Ebbw Vale, and Chloe Thomas from Tredegar will be joined in the squad by Welsh men’s champion, Callum Evans from Tonyrefail.
Before then, O’Connell and Evans will play in the Luxembourg Open from April 12-15, and Carey and Thomas in the Croatian Open from May 2-6.
Carey and Thomas are also in the Welsh team to play Kosovo in a European qualifier at Cardiff on March 28.