MUSCAT, Oct 13
As many as 29 girls paddlers will take part at the 2021 WTT Youth Contender Muscat Championships here on Thursday. The participants from nine countries — Egypt, India, Iran, Lebanon, Maldives, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Syria and hosts Oman — will compete in the championship.
Oman’s girls team will be represented by Al Hoor al Jassasi, Noor al Farsi and Retaj al Abri.
The Sultanate’s girls paddlers took part in an intensive ITTF High performance training camp, which concluded on Tuesday at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex under supervision of ITTF coach Mohammed Atoum. Coaches from India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Maldives and Oman also attended the camp.
The camp lasted for 10 days with morning and evening training sessions. The girls competition will commence on Thursday with under-15 and under-19 sections.
On Friday, the under-13 and under-17 matches will take place at the indoor hall of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
PAYAS CLINCH TITLE
Indian paddler Payas Jain stole the limelight in Muscat by winning the under-17 and under-19 boys singles titles. Payas beat compatriot Yashansh Malik 3-0 in the U-19 final. In the semifinal, Payas edged another Indian player Shanker Varun 3-2.
In the U-17 final, Payas edged Uzbekistan’s Alan Kurmangaliyev 3-2 to emerge champion.
Oman’s Mashal al Shehi ended his campaign in the event after he lost to Bangladesh’s Ahmed Mohutaisn 3-0 on Tuesday. Al Shehi secured a spot in the last 16 after he beat Qatar’s Ahmed Sadawi 3-1 on Monday.
Kurmangaliyev claimed the under-15 boys crown. The Uzbekistan paddler beat India’s Ankur Bhattacharjee 3-2 in a tough final on Tuesday. Alan beat Yemen’s Ibrahim AbdulHakim 3-0 to reach the final.
Oman’s Luqman al Farsi suffered a 3-0 loss against Saudi’s Hadi Abdulrahi in the last 32 of the U-15 boy’s singles. Luqman reached the last 32 after he beat Sri Lanka’s Lithuim Singappulige 3-0 but lost to Qatar’s Khalid al Yafei 3-0. He was second in Group 7 standings.
On the opening day, Luqman secured spot in last 32 of U-17 boy’s singles.
Saudi’s Abdulrahman al Thaher claimed the under-11 boy’s singles title after edging Qatar’s Mohammed al Sulaiti 3-2 in the concluding match. The Saudi paddler entered final after beating Lebanon’s Ahmed Fahis 3-1.
