Thursday, 7 March 2013

Owen makes it nine titles in Cardiff

Welsh No1 table tennis star Naomi Owen won her ninth Welsh Championship with victory over No2 Charlotte Carey at the Sports Centre in Cardiff last weekend (March 3).

In a thrilling encounter, Carey took the first set of the gruelling match. Owen looked solid, but at 6-6 in the second set her experience kicked in and she won the next few points to level it up at 1-1.

Carey tried a few changes in tactics but Owen held firm and took the next two sets to win the trophy 3-1.

She had beaten Laura Edwards in the quarters and Nicole Hall in the semi-finals, while Carey had overcome took Angharad Phillips at the quarter-final stage and then Chloe Thomas in the semis in the other side of the draw.

The men’s event has a new name engraved on the trophy – that of Stephen Jenkins.

Jenkins controlled his final against the junior champion, Conor Edwards, winning the first two sets fairly comfortably. At 10-9, and match point, the Rhondda-based player/coach looked edgy and failed to take it, but the second time was far too inviting and with arms raised, the champion was crowned.

Jenkins beat Dan O’Connell and Patrick Thomas (SF), with Edwards overcoming Alex O’Connell (quarters) and Dean Cundy (semis).

The U21 singles saw Carey v Thomas (women) O’Connell v Edwards (men) in the respective finals. Both Ebbw Vale players (O’Connell and Carey) took gold.

The vets’ men’s singles was won by Mark Farrow, beating Tony Needham in the final.

The women’s doubles was won by Thomas and Carey, 3-1 against sisters Angharad and Megan Phillips. Megan picked herself up to team up with O’Connell and beat Edwards and Carey in the mixed final 3-1.

The men’s doubles went to Swansea with Lee Morgan and partner Cundy over O’Connell and Edwards. The vets’ doubles saw Tony Collins and Nigel Gore take gold with Ray Goulding and Steve Eades the losers.

RESULTS:
Women’s singles: Naomi Owen beat Charlotte Carey 7-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
Men’s singles: Stephen Jenkins beat Conor Edwards 11-6, 11-6, 13-11
U21 men: Dan O’Connell beat Conor Edwards 12-10, 11-8, 11-8
U21 women: Charlotte Carey beat Chloe Thomas 11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7
Vets’ singles: Mark Farrow beat Tony Needham 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
Women’s doubles: Carey/Thomas beat Phillips/Phillips 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9
Men’s doubles: Morgan/Cundy beat Edwards/O’Connell 11-6, 11-4, 12-10
Mixed doubles: O’Connell/Phillips beat Carey/Edwards 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5
Vets’ doubles: Collins/Gore beat Goulding/Farrow 13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6

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