03/31/2012        LIEBHERR 2012 World Team Table Tennis Championships

Gold for the green and gold; Australia won the Women’s Second Division title at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund on Saturday 31st March 2012.

A long journey from the southern hemisphere but for Jens Lang, the High Performance Director for Table Tennis Australia, he was very much home at home in Dortmund.

Equally his two most experienced players Jian Fang Lay and Miao Miao, quickly made themselves at home.

Video Interview: Miao Miao and Jens Lang

Alongside the team they beat in the final, Luxembourg, they will play in the Championship Division in two years’ time.

Local Boy
“I was born less than 50 kilometres from Dortmund”, smiles Jens Lang. “Usually if I’m coming to Dortmund I ride my bicycle!”

Now with home being based in Melbourne, it’s a long journey; especially on a bicycle!

However, whatever the mode of transport, the journey has been well worthwhile, with Jian Fang Lay and Miao Miao, very much the guiding hands in the team alongside 24 year old Michelle Beaumont.

Semi-Finals
At the semi-final stage against India, Jian Fang Lay beat both Mouma Das (9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3) and Shamini Kumaresan (10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9); whilst Miao Miao also accounted for Shamini Kumaresan (12-10, 7-11, 9-11, 15-13, 11-5).

The one win for India came from Ankita Das; in the third match of the contest, she overcame Michelle Beaumont (11-8, 12-10, 11-8).

The Final
A place in the finally successfully booked, victory by the same margin was posted against Luxembourg. Jian Fang Lay was again unbeaten but there was surprise in store for Miao Miao.

Jian Fang Lay accounted Tessy Gonderinger (11-3, 11-8, 11), before Miao Miao suffered defeat at the hands of Sarah de Nutte. She established a two games to nil lead but the young lady from Luxembourg recovered to secure a five games success (7-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-3).

Matters level, Michelle Beaumont accounted for Vinita Schlink (11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5), before Miao Miao brought matters to a conclusion by overcoming Tessy Gonderinger (11-2, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7).

Luxembourg Success
Defeat for Luxembourg but one round earlier they had gained success at the semi-final stage to book their place in the Championship Division in 2014.

The trio of Ni Xialian, Tessy Goderinger and Sarah de Nutte posted a three-nil win over the Italian outfit comprising Tan Wenling, Lisa Ridolfi and Debora Vivarelli.

Ukraine and Romania
Meanwhile, in the Men’s Second Division, it was Ukraine and Romania who secured promotion to the Championships Division.

Semi-Final Test
At the semi-final stage, Romania accounted for India with Adrian Crisan very much the mainstay of victory; he overcame Soumyajit Ghosh (13-15, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3) and Sharath Kamal Achanta (11-8, 11-5, 11-5).

The one further win for Romania came from Constantin Cioti in the crucial fifth and deciding match, he beat Soumyajit Ghosh (11-4, 11-6, 11-6); the wins for India came from Sharath Kamal Achanta against Constantin Cioti (11-7, 11-9, 11-7) and from Amalraj Anthony in opposition to Hunor Szocs (11-9, 11-3, 12-10).

Tested by Brazil
A close call for Romania in the penultimate round and a testing contest for Ukraine; they overcame Brazil by three matches to one.

Yaroslav Zhmudenko gave Ukraine the perfect start by beating Gustavo Tsuboi (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9), before Brazil responded thanks to Cazuo Matsumoto; he overcame Kou Lei (16-14, 11-2, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7).

Only Success
Alas for Brazil; that was their only success. Ivan Katkov secured victory in the crucial third match against Thiago Monteiro by the narrowest of margins (6-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-3, 13-11), with Kou Lei concluding matters.

He accounted for Gustavo Tsuboi in four games (12-14, 11-2, 12-10, 15-13).

Final
The goal achieved, the final saw further success for Ukraine; they recorded a three-one win over Romania.

Oleksandr Didukh beat Ovidiu Ionescu (11-3, 12-10, 11-7); Hunor Szocs levelled matters by overcoming Ivan Katkov (12-10, 11-13, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9), before Ukraine seized control.

Kou Lei accounted for Constantion Cioti (11-6, 11-7, 11-8), with Ivan Katkov concluding matters by defeating Ovidiu Ionescu 11-5, 13-11, 11-6).

Jens Lang guided Australia to the Women’s Second Division title in Dortmund
Photo by Rémy Gros