Juliane Wolf Claims European Para Table Tennis Title in Dramatic Fashion
Juliane Wolf of TSF Heuchelheim achieved a remarkable performance at the European Para Table Tennis Championships, securing gold in the singles competition and silver in the doubles alongside stephanie Grebe. This marks Wolf’s first European Championship title in her career, adding to her Paralympic medal collection.
Wolf’s path to the singles gold was notably challenging.after a strong showing in the group stage and a bye into the next round, she faced a grueling semi-final match against the Netherlands’ Van Hoof. The match extended to a decisive fifth set, with both players fiercely contesting every point. In extra time,Wolf required a medical time-out,creating a tense moment for players and spectators alike. Despite the interruption, she rallied to win the set 16-14 and secure her place in the final.
The final saw Wolf pitted against Great Britain’s Grace Williams. This match proved more decisive, with Wolf achieving a 3-0 victory and claiming the European Championship title in the women’s class 8 competition.
In the doubles event, Wolf and Grebe, who previously won silver at the Paralympics, navigated a confident group stage with two wins. They continued thier success with a clear victory in the semi-final against the British duo Twomey/Pickard. Though, their winning streak ended in the final against the French pair caillaud/Kamkasomphou, where they lost in a close fifth set, ultimately earning a silver medal.
“With gold in singles and silver in doubles, it was an outstanding European Championship for me,” Wolf stated. “The first singles title means a lot to me and is also a direct ticket to the World Cup.” She also expressed a special connection to Sweden, where she completed a voluntary service with a Swedish table tennis club and began her journey in para sports, adding, “The fact that it has now happened in Sweden, where my journey in para sports began, is a very special feeling.”
The tournament also saw participation from TSF Heuchelheim’s Maxym Nikolenko.Despite a strong group stage performance, he was narrowly defeated in the quarter-finals by France’s Berthier 12-10 in the fifth set, reversing their Paralympic result from the previous year. Berthier went on to win the championship.
Sayed Amir Hossein Hosseini pour,representing the refugee team and coached by TSF’s Fabian Lenke,also competed,achieving respectable results with two wins and reaching the round of 16 before being eliminated by Croatia’s Zohil.
