Wales and GB’s Anna Hursey is World Champion – ending the ITTF World Youth Championships with THREE medals!
She won the under-19 girls’ doubles with Germany’s Mia Griesel, adding to their European gold in the same age group and under-21s.
The medal is part of the silver won together with the Romanian Iulian Chirita in the mixed doubles.
In singles, the top seed had to settle for bronze as she was defeated in the semi-finals.
The medals are Wales’ first at this level and Hursey is only the second British athlete to reach the podium in the individual events, after England’s Paul Drinkhall won silver in the Boys’ Singles in 2008 – England also won team bronze that year.
The doubles final was hugely dramatic as Hursey & Griesel came from 2-0 down to save three match points before winning gold 14-12 in the decider.
There wasn’t much indication of what would happen when their opponents, China’s Zong Geman & Qin Yuxuan, won eight points in a row to win the first game 11-4.
When they kept the momentum going and won the second 11-5, without ever going behind, it looked like a long road back for the European champions.
But the momentum shifted from 2-2 in the third as six straight points broke the back end of that game. The Chinese reduced the payment arrears, but could only reach seven. And it was 2-2 when Hursey & Griesel won the fourth 11-8, never trailing.
The decider saw neither pair lead by more than two at any point, but the Chinese generally had the edge and brought home two match points. They were saved and then two more match points were exchanged – first for Hursey & Griesel and then for Zong & Qin. Ultimately, the historic point was taken by the Europeans, who won the match 14-12 and ended up on the top step of the podium.
Hursey was the best in the singles, but had to settle for bronze after being defeated 4-1 in the semi-finals by third seed Qin, who defeated compatriot Zong in the final in six games.
Hursey won the first game 11-6 and closed it with a four-point run, but once Qin reached the second 11-9, after seeing Hursey close from 5-9 to 9-9, she began to dominate, winning the next three 5, 3, 5.
Hursey previously defeated sixth seed Yeh Yi-Tian of Chinese Taipei in six games in the quarterfinals.
But Hursey and coach John Murphy can look back on an incredible week in Romania, returning with three medals and a place in Great Britain’s table tennis history.
Results
Girls singles under 19 years old
Quarterfinals
Hursey bt Yeh Yi-Tian (TPE) 4-2 (11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 13-11)
Semi-finals
Qin Yuxuan (CHN) vs Anna Hursey (WAL) 4-1 (6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-3, 11-5)
Girls’ doubles under 19 years
Final
Anna Hursey (Wal) & Mia Greisel (German) bt Zong Geman & Qin Yuxuan (CHN) 3-2 (4-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 14-12)
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