Tournaments

09 Apr 2019

Crowned European champion in 2015 in Vejle, the title retained two years later in Lasko, Norway’s Aida Dahlen emerged a somewhat surprise name to secure gold in the women’s singles events on Tuesday 9th April at the 2019 Al-Watani Para Championships in Amman, Jordan.

Alongside Turkey’s Merve Demir and Iraq’s Zainab Hasan Farhoosi, in the standing categories, they upset original predictions.

by Ian Marshall, Editor

Competing in class 7-8, the no.2 seed, she accounted for Turkey’s Kubra Korkut in the final (11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8), having in the penultimate round overcome Kelly van Zon of the Netherlands (9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 13-11), the top seed and reigning Olympic champion.

However, it should be taken into account that both Kelly van Zon and Kubra Korkut are class 7 athletes and thus of a greater disability than Aida Dahlen.

Success for the second seed, it was the same in class 9-10; in a group organized event, Merve Demir finished ahead of colleague Neslihan Kavas, the top seed, the crucial contest being the straight games win (11-6, 11-9, 12-10) over her compatriot.

Meanwhile, for Zainab Hasan Farhoosi, the first place was technical; the absence of the leading player, Norway’s Merethe Tveiten, resulted in the Iraqi being the premier name. She finished ahead of compatriot, Najlam Imad Laft Al Dayyeni, in the match to decide top spot she recorded a straight games win on opposition to her compatriot (11-3, 11-4, 11-6); a feat she achieved in all other engagements.

Success for Aida Dahlen, Zainab Hasan Farhoosi and Merve Demir contrary to original expectations; for Germany’s Sandra Mikolaschek and the host nation’s Khetam Abuawad, in the wheelchair categories, it was first prize as their top seeded status advised.

Sandra Mikolaschek secured the class 1-4 title accounting for Turkey’s Irem Oluk in the final (11-7, 12-10, 11-5); in a group organized event, Khetam Abuawad emerged the class 5 champion. In the contest which decided the top two positions, she beat Thailand’s Panwas Sringam (11-5, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7).

Play now continues with the women’s team events.

2019 Para Al-Watani Championships: Draws and Results

Paralympics Para Table Tennis 2019 Al-Watani Para Open Aida Dahlen
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