by Ian Marshall, Editor
One player in particular who fits both criteria is Great Britain’s Rob Davies, gold medallist at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games; he is very much seeking to hold the two major titles the sport has to offer at the same time.
At most recent staging of the World Para Championships in 2014 in Beijing, he was the runner up in Men’s Singles Class 1; last year in Ostrava he was the winner ahead of Hungary’s Endre Major who also competes this year.
Similarly, in the Men’s Singles events, Rafal Czuper defends his Class 2 title, as does Slovakia’s Peter Mihalik in Class 7; he could well confront a winner from last year. Croatia’s Pavao Jozic won Class 6 but has now been reclassified as a Class 7 athlete. In addition, Hungary’s Andras Csonka will be aiming to repeat his success of last year in Class 8, a situation that applies also to Poland’s Pawel Jablonski in Class 9.
Six men aiming for a repeat success, it is the same aim for Croatia’s Andela Muzinic, Argentina’s Gizelle Muñoz and Hungary’s Andrea Mate in the Women’s Singles events; one year ago Andela Muzinic won Class 3, Giselle Muñoz succeeded in Class 6-7, Andrea Mate in Class 11.
An impressive group of names and there is another impressive group; those who won medals at the 2014 World Para Championships, hoping that their form in Ostrava will result in success and is good enough one month hence to turn bronze or sliver to gold.
In addition to Rob Davies; Tommy Urhaug will compete in Class 5 in Ostrava, the host nation’s Ivan Karabec in Class 10. Likewise, Hungary’s Peter Palos and Belgium’s Florian Van Acker will be in action in Class 11. All were bronze medallists four years ago in Beijing but most notably at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Tommy Urhaug and Peter Palos struck gold, as did Florian Van Acker in Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Singles events, Great Britain’s Sue Gilroy competes in Class 4, Norway’s Aida Dahlen in Class 8, both were silver medallists in Beijing; likewise, Russia’s Olga Komleva is in duty in Class 9, in Beijing she won bronze.
Overall, 200 men and 65 women will compete in Ostrava.
2018 Czech Para Open: Draws and Results