08/02/2012        2012 Olympic Games

A silver medallist in the Men’s Team event in Beijing's Peking University four years earlier, Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov added to his collection of Olympic medals on the afternoon of Thursday 2nd August.

He secured bronze in the Men’s Singles competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games by beating Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan to secure the third step of the medal podium.

Dimitrij Ovtcharov won in six tension packed and hard fought games (12-10, 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6, 14-12).

The victory recorded by the German means that he becomes the fifth European to win a Men’s Singles medal at an Olympic Games.

Medallists
In Seoul in 1988, Sweden’s Erik Lindh secured third place beating Hungary’s Tibor Klampar.

Four years later in Barcelona, Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner overcame France’s Jean-Philippe Gatien in the final, before in 1996 in Atlanta it was the coach on duty with Dimitrij Ovtcharov in the ExCeL Arena who secured the precious bronze medal.

Jörg Rosskopf accounted for Petr Korbel to claim the precious third prize. Once again in Sydney, it was Jan-Ove Waldner who mounted the podium but this time it was silver; he was beaten in the final by Kong Linghui.

Drought Ends
Men’s Singles medals for Europeans in the first four editions of the Olympic Games but since that time, the cupboard has been bare until on the seventh day of play at the London Olympic Games, the drought was ended by Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

Two Medals
Furthermore, he becomes only one of four European men to own two Olympic medals.

In addition to Men’s Singles successes of Jan-Ove Waldner, Jörg Rosskopf won Men’s Doubles silver with Steffen Fetzner in 1992; whilst in 2000 Jean-Philippe Gatien secured Men’s Doubles bronze in harness with Patrick Chila.

European Medallists
The only other Europeans to secure Olympic medals are Denmark’s Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell. They clinched bronze in Athens in 2004; whilst in 2008 in Beijing Timo Boll and Christian Süss were the silver medal winning Men’s Team mates of Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

Fast Start
Against Chuang Chih-Yuan in the ExCeL Arena it was Chuang Chih-Yuan who made the better start; he won the first five points of the first game just as he had done in opposition to China’s Wang Hao in the semi-final earlier in the day.

However, in a similar vein to Wang Hao, Dimitrij Ovtcharov recovered and held game points before Chuang Chih-Yuan converted.

Crucial Point
Chuang Chih-Yuan responded to win the next two games, before in the fourth game came the pivotal moment. He led 10-8, he was on the verge of three games to one lead; then a top spin stroke from Dimitrij Ovtcharov, the faintest of edges, a coat of paint.

The score moved to 10-9, Dimitrij Ovtcharov leveled and progressed to win the game.

Never Know
Would the end result have been different without that moment of fortune? We will never know.

Nevertheless, Dimitrij Ovtcharov seized the opportunity. He progressed to win the match and to pocket the bronze medal; success for Germany.

Never Know
Success for Germany and with the team events now starting Dimitrij Ovtcharov has the chance to become the owner of more medals in the table tennis events at the Olympic Games.

Three Medals Possible
Germany is seeded no.3 in the Men’s Team competition; Dimitrij Ovtcharov lines up alongside Timo Boll and Bastian Steger.

Only Timo Boll
If Germany can win a medal of any colour, Dimitrij Ovtcharov will have as total of three.

The only other European player competing in either the Men’s or Women’s Team event who has an Olympic medal to his credit is Timo Boll, the Men’s Team silver won in Beijing four years ago.

Members of the royal family were present for the medal matches in the Men’s Singles event.
Prince Philip (left) and Prince Edward (centre) spoke to Neil Harwood, ITTF Deputy President (right)
Members of the ITTF Professional staff, Glenn Tepper (left) and Steve Dainton (right) are in the background
Photo by Mariann Domonkos