onsdag 30 april 2008

The last chance

An exiting journey for my colleges and me is up ahead. 2000 km from Stockholm to Budapest by car.
Pär Gerell the last Swede trying to qualify for the olympics will be very tough competition to get to the Olympics. There are still some great players trying to get to Beijing. Crisan-Ranked as number 17 in the world. He has had an impressive season in the German Bundesliga. He has shown great form recently and took the Romanian championship title for the seventh time. Rumour has it that he is injured and might miss the qualification.
Saive- 25 in the world and a scarred veteran from many battles. He is old but not the oldest (Yang Min is the oldest) in this qualification. He often gives you value for the entrance fee by providing amazing duels.
Drinkhall- Ranked as number 4 in the world for U18 players, plays in the German bundesliga for Gönnern but in now moving to Jülich.
Korbel- He is soon German champion (?) with Düsseldorf and the best player on the second table Bundesliga with only one loss. Ranked 36 in the world.
Cheung Yuk-Number 40 in the world right now with a very strong form. Did go to the quarterfinals in the last Pro Tour, on his way to the quartefinals he beat Gao Ning (9) from Singapore.
Keen- The old Dutch man as acted as a specialist this season in beating Swedish table tennis players in the Bundesliga. Ha has beaten J-O Waldner twice, Svensson and Molin he beat 3-0 and he also won over PG, 3-0. 47th in the world.
Karakasevic-This chubby Serb has won quite a lot of matches in Bundesliga this year. He is ranked as number 50 in the world. He has beaten J-O Waldner twice this year. He has very tricky returning services and an amazing feeling for this game.Freitas- A 20year old portoguese has beaten PG in bundesliga but other then that he has not impressed many with his game this year in Bundesliga on the second table. 143rd in the world.Blaszczyk- Up and down this season in bundesliga. Has beaten some of the best and recently after lost against some players not as good. Lost against PG in the European qualifications. Have a very nice backhand. Chiang Peng-Lung- Have lost against a couple of Swedes this season and haven´t impressed anybody, but he is a former star and still ranked 32 in the world. Don't count him out just yet.
Tugwell- The Danish guy with the best chance of qualifying (Sternberg is the other). Finn is leaving the French league and will next season be playing CL for Roskilde. 69th in the world.
Eloi- French veteran, he is not the biggest guy but one of the fastest and he has a deadly service. 44th in the world.
Filimon- Yet another Romanian player and not a bad one at all. 62 in the world.
Stephensen- Eslöv player "Gummi" stays in the Swedish first division team and will this year be playing at the first table. Lost only one game during this season.Tosic- Had a problem with his temper in SOC when playing young Swedish player Ramstrand. He pulled through and is with his with fine left hand he is a very dangerous opponent, 90th in the world.
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We also have players such as Bobocica, Pavelka, Hoyama, Chtchetinine, Robertson, Keinath, Pistej, Apolonia and Gorak.
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Not a easy qualification for Pär Gerell and if he makes the Olympics its a great success for him
Pictures by courtesy of the ITTF

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