INDORE: Darko Jorgic of Slovenia in the boys and Wai Yam Minnie Soo of Hong Kong among girls have been given pride of place in the $36,000 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Junior Circuit 2016 Finals that get underway at the Abhay Prashal indoor stadium here from Thursday. The seedings have been made based on the 2016 year-ending ITTF under-18 world rankings.
Representing 15 countries, 16 boys and as many girls, each of whom has competed on at least two continents, will slug it out in singles only. Divided into four groups, the top two will advance to the knockout quarterfinals. The three-day championship is a golden opportunity for paddlers to make the podium in the absence of the Chinese, who don’t venture out of their country on this tour.
The billing for the boys top trio of Darko Jorgic, Yukiya Uda and Koyo Kanamitsu should turn out true to their current form. Although ranked fifth among women here, Japan’s Yuko Kato should spring more than a surprise, with four titles in France, Sweden, Slovenia and Portugal and bronze in Spain and the Czech Republic behind her.
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Drawn in the top two groups, the going may be tough for India’s Manav Thakkar and Ronit Bhanja. Thakkar faces top gun Jorgic in the second round. On the distaff side, it should be relatively easier for Archana Girish Kamath and S. Selena Deepthi.
Sponsors of the three-day meet include Dena Bank, Jio Digital, 11Even Sports, MP Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, while equipment support comes from Joola, Butterfly and Stag.
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Boys: 1. Darko Jorgic (Slo); 2. Yukiya Uda (Jap); 3. Koyo Kanamitsu (Jap); 4. Tobias Hippler (Ger); 5. Alexandru Manole (Rou); 6. Chi-Chien Lai (Tai); 7. Manav Thakkar (Ind); 8. Hsin-Yang Li (Tai); 9. Yanapong Panagitgun (Tha); 10. Victor Liu (USA); 11. Rashed Sanad (Bah); 12. Mohammed Abdul Wahhab (Qat); 13. Ronit Bhanja (Ind); 14. Rohan Dhooria (Aus); 15. Omar Ammous (Tun); 16. Nawaf Al-Malki (Qat).
Girls: 1. Wai Yam Minnie Soo (HK); 2. Tze Wing Mak (HK); 3. Kana Takeuchi (Jap); 4. Andreea Dragoman (Rou); 5. Yuko Kato (Jap); 6. Pei-Ling Su (Tai); 7. Sih-Han Fang (Tai); 8. Archana Girish Kamath (Ind); 9. Amy Wang (USA); 10. Caroline Hajok (Ger); 11. Andreea Clapa (Rou); 12. Martina Kohatsu (Bra); 13. Jiamuwa Wu (Aus); 14. S. Selena Deepthi (Ind); 15. Raquel Andrade (Por); 16. Abir Haj Salah (Tun).