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Apichaya Sritavarit won the vital contest to secure gold for Thailand
Photo By: Pheeraphat Laowittayawong
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05/06/2012
2012 Thailand Junior & Cadet Open - ITTF Premium Junior Circuit
Success came the way of the host nation at the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open in Pattaya on Sunday 6th May 2012.
Tamolwan Khuetkuen and Apichaya Sritavarit captured the Cadet Girls’ Team title and, in so doing, justified their status as the top seeded outfit in the competition.
However, the victory was hard fought.
A full distance three-two win over the second seeds being the order of proceedings in the final, with 14 year old Apichaya Sritavarit emerging as her country’s principal heroine.
Decisive Match
In the decisive match, with affairs level at two-all, she kept her nerve to withstand a spirited recovery by Yee Herng Hwee to secure a five games victory.
She won 11-9, 11-8, 5-11, 3-11, 11-4.
Mainstay
Apichaya Sritavarit gained the plaudits but the mainstay of the victory was Tamolwan Khetkuen, also 14 years old.
She suffered just one singles defeat in the whole competition; that being against Ang Wan Qi in the final against Singapore; she was beaten in four games (7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 13-11) after giving Thailand a two-one lead.
Tamolwan Khetkuen accounted for Yee Herng Hwee in the second match of the contest 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7), before partnering Apichaya Sritavarit to doubles success over Ang Wan Qi and Yee Herng Hwee (11-7, 11-9, 11-4). The two wins came after Ang Wan Qi had given Singapore the perfect start by beating Apichaya Sritavarit (11-7, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9).
Hard Fought Contests
A hard fought final and the journey to the final was also hard fought.
At the quarter-final stage a three-one win was recorded against Chinese Taipei ‘B’ with every match going the full five games distance.
Tamolwan Khetkuen recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Huang Chieh (9-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7) before concluding matters with victory over Lee Yu-Peng (11-7, 11-7, 13-15, 6-11, 12-10).
Further Wins
The one further success for Thailand came from Apichaya Sritavarit in the second match of the contest.
She overcame Lee Yu-Peng (11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 6-11, 11-4). Meanwhile for Chinese Taipei ‘B’, the one win was recorded by Huang Chieh and Lee Yu-Peng. They beat Tamolwan Khetkuen and Janyaporn Vorapakdee in the doubles contest (7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8).
Similar Story
A three-one quarter-final success for Thailand ‘A’; it was the same margin of victory when faced with Chinese Taipei ‘A’ in the semi-finals with once again the doubles being the match to go astray.
Apichaya Sritavarit and Janyaporn Vorapakdee suffered defeat at the hands of Hung Hung and Kuo Chia-Yun (11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8).
Only Reverse
However, that was the only reverse for the host nation.
Tamolwan Khetkuen accounted for both Kuo Chia-Yun (6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6) and for Hung Hung (6-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-8), with the one further win coming from Apichaya Sritavarit.
In the opening match of the contest, she overcame Hung Hung in five games (11-6, 17-15, 5-11, 7-11, 11-7).
Two defeats at the semi-final stage, Hung Hung was out of luck against Thailand ‘A’
Photo by Pheeraphat Laowittayawong
More Comfortable
Certainly it was a testing journey to the final for Thailand but not for Singapore.
They beat Thailand ‘B’ (Cathareeya Poungsri, Naja Mekamporn, Pornpavee Limsilajeerakul, Chattrika Klaisuwan) by three matches to nil at the quarter-final stage, before succeeding by the same margin in the penultimate round against Thailand ‘C’ (Benjamard Piloksiri, Orawan Paranang, Jitsupa Sirithaj)
Silver and Bronze
Gold and bronze medals for Thailand in the Cadet Girls’ Team event, in the counterpart Cadet Boys’ Team competition, it was silver and bronze.
Thailand ‘B’ (Naphat Panichardan, Vorranon Urawan) overcame Singapore ‘B’ (Ethan Poh Shao Feng, Edric Lim Zheng Jie) at the quarter-final stage by three matches to two, before recording the same margin of victory in the semi-finals in opposition to Singapore ‘A’ (Tay Ming Han Maxxe, Loy Meng Hean).
Koreans in Form
A place in the final secured but the boys could not emulate the girls and bring success to the host nation.
Kang Ji Hoon and Oh Wootaek were in no mood for charity. A three-nil quarter-final win over Thailand ‘C’ (Phomrungsee Rachawong, Pongsafom Jarungkan, Nattapat, Siripattanantakul, Nattapol Sameunpen) was followed by a three-one semi-final success against Thailand ‘A’ (Komgrict Sangpao, Sirawat Puangthip, Suppakorn Watthanasirichaiporn).
Defeat but Expectations Exceeded
Impressive performances and in the final, the Koreans were equally impressive; a three-nil success secured gold; for Naphat Panichardan and Vorranon Urawan of Thailand ‘B’ it was the silver medal but a satisfactory conclusion.
They were the tenth seeded team.
A silver medal for Vorranon Urawan in the Cadet Boys’ Team event was better than expected
Photo by Pheeraphat Laowittayawong
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