TTT30 Spring 2023

In the consolation events Kevin Nicholls came away with a silver medal in the O50 Men’s Doubles partnering
Paulo Martinez of Brazil. Whilst Elana McClements and Norma Milward received their gold medals in the O70
Women’s Doubles courtesy of a walk over in the final. Carol Judson and her partner, Ilse Pohl of Germany,
came away with a silver medal in the O75 Women’s Doubles and it was this pair who conceded the final.
Judson received a second medal as the runner-up in the O80s Women’s Singles Consolation whilst Roy Norton
won the O80s Men’s Singles Consolation event.
Kevin Nicholls with mascot, Carol Judson & Roy Norton, Elana McClements & Norma Milward
For the first time Mixed Doubles were part of the tournament and there were further successes for England
players in these events. Roy Norton and Carol Judson won silver in the O80s, and Betty Bird with Croatian Josip
Martinovic were gold medallists in the O80s consolation. Michael Marsden with Juyeon Oh, Korea were bronze
medallist in the O40s consolation.
All in all, a good tournament for many players. Perhaps spare a thought for Diccon Gray who had the
misfortune to meet in the quarter-finals of the O60 Men’s Singles the former Romanian and German
international Zsolt-Georg Bohm who was the eventual winner. Bohm was possibly the best player in the
tournament and when younger had won two gold medals in the European Youth Championships in doubles
and multiple national titles in Romania and Germany with perhaps his best win when he beat Gabor Gergely
of Hungary at the World Championships in 1979. Hungary had won team gold that year. An impressive record
and a tough opponent for Diccon.
Diccon Gray & Michael Rhodes (right), some young supporters
The next big veterans event is the European Veteran Championships in Sandefjord, Norway from 26 th June to
1 st July 2023. Late entries will be accepted until 30 th April. There are the usual age categories plus men’s and
women’s doubles. Additionally, there are four para events for men and women class 1-5 (wheelchair) and class
6-10 (standing). The venue, hotels and restaurants are all in one holiday village with a beach nearby. 150 tables
are to be used in thee playing halls and the entry capacity is 4,000. There is already a good entry of just under
100 from English players at the last count.
The next World Championships for veterans are to be held in Rome from 6 th to 14 th July 2024 with a name
change from World Veteran Championships to World Masters Championships.
TTT: Issue 30: Spring 2023
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