In the 33-64 positions of Under 17 Fakaros in Polish Youth Contender

Kostas Fakaros achieved his main goal with his second place on the first day of the World Table Tennis Youth Contender in Poland, in the afternoon became competitive in the knockout game, but was beaten by a strong name of the host country to place it 33-64.

For the other athlete of the Greek mission, Mark-Lucas Stafford-Sving, the special news is that he got the “baptism of fire” at the Youth Contender institution. In addition, it has every reason to keep the good look at this start, regardless of exclusion in the Under 17 groups.

Also, in his first year as a teenager, he showed his own abilities and laid the groundwork for a victory that would send him to the board. He finally accepted a 2-0 set, but is well aware that the most important thing is to enjoy the races and get the most from the great experience.

The Under 17 category had a very large number of entries with 97 boys and initially included 32 qualifying groups. Fakaros participated in the 21st and qualified for 1 win and 1 defeat. At his premiere, he pushed the first favorite of the group, Korean Lee Hu Hu, temporarily equalized, until he was bent 3-1 (2-11, 11-3, 6-11, 6-11). The Phoenician athlete maintained his good performance in the decisive second match and was imposed by Polish Jan Rospara with a 3-0 set (11-2, 11-2, 11-3).

In the first round of the dashboard, the draw brought him a very difficult opponent, but also … memories! He was confronted with Polish Samuel Mitsina, who in his career until the final of the Europe Under 13 Challenge in 2022 in Montenegro had eliminated the 16th in the 16-2 and overturned from a 0-2 set.

In the race, the Phoenix Athlete Hagia Sophia Piraeus entered very loud and passed his hits perfectly. After 1-0 in the sets, however, on the one hand he paid the “ups and downs” in his performance and his concentration, and on the other Mitsina “read” his game better and greatly improved his own appearance.

Fakaros accepted the equalizer relatively easily, and indicative points later was that in the 3-2 of the third set he lost five consecutive points and in the fourth set of three sets of points to get a timeout. The opponent went to 8-4 and our international reacted, reducing to Pontus (8-7). Having the rally stability, the Polish got the next two points and finally the match with a 3-1 set (11-3, 5-11, 5-11, 8-11).

Stafford competed in the 24th group of the same category. In his first participation in Youth Contender he saw that he could reach the qualification and “chased” it with all his might. In the first race he made a perfect start against the Head of Italian Julio Campaign and led 2-0. She continued at a good pace, but eventually lost 3-2 sets, with the inexperience obviously playing her own role (11-5, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11, 5-11).

The left-handed athlete remained in the qualifying game, tried for the best in the third match against Polish Tsiprian Marzak, but lost 3-0 and was eliminated (5-11, 7-11, 6-11).

The two children will compete on Thursday in the double mixed teenagers and on Friday in the simple Under 19 category. In the big category of adolescents, Fakaros was drawn to the sixth group and will meet Swedish William Bergenblock (Head).

Stafford is in the 23rd group and will face Polish Artur Gromek (head) and Lee Elsvorth from Singapore.

In the double mixed, Fakaros constitutes a twin with Romanian Vasilitsa Sandu. In the first round they clash with the couple from the Czech Republic, Yakub Makara-Andrea Slamova.

Stafford will work with German Lizan Jibke. The “64” will be compelled with the Polish Oscars Parouk and Julia Zina.