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Table tennis - 2023 European Games: Bernadette Szocs wins gold medal in women's singles.
The Romanian table tennis player Bernadette Szocs spectacularly won the gold medal in the women's singles event of the European Games in Krakow - Malopolska (Poland), on Tuesday evening, after defeating Xiaoxin Yang (Monaco) in the final with the score of 4-3 (4-11, 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-3), told Agerpres.
Bernadette Szocs won after almost an hour of play (56 minutes), coming back from 1-3 in sets. She won two sets 13-11 and 11-9, and in the decider she won clearly 11-3.
Also on Tuesday, Elizabeta Samara won the bronze medal in the women's singles event, after defeating the Polish Natalia Bajor, 4-3 (11-9, 4-11, 13-11, 11-7, 9- 11, 9-11, 11-7).
In the semifinals, Szocs beat Natalia Bajor, 4-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-3, 11-5), and Samara was defeated by Yang 4-0 (11-9, 11- 5, 11-9, 11-4).
Romania won three table tennis medals at the European Games in Poland, gold through Bernadette Szocs, bronze through Elizabeta Samara and the pair Ovidiu Ionescu/Bernadette Szocs in mixed doubles.
Romania's track record in table tennis at the European Games before the edition in Poland was two silver medals, both in Minsk in 2019 - in women's teams (Bernadette Szocs, Elizabeta Samara, Daniela Dodean Monteiro) and mixed doubles (Ovidiu Ionescu, Bernadette Szocs).
Romania's record at the European Games in Krakow - Malopolska reached 11 medals, three gold, three silver and five bronze. Gold medals were won by cyclist Vlad Dascalu in mountain biking, athlete Claudia Bobocea in 1,500 meters and Bernadette Szocs in table tennis (women's singles), silver medals were won by athletes Bianca Ghelber in the hammer throw and Daniela Stanciu in high jump and Catalin Chirila in the single 500 meter canoe. The bronze medals were won by karateka Stefan Comanescu in the cat. 67 kg (kumite), athlete Andrea Miklos in 400 m, fencer Malina Calugareanu in foil, pair Ovidiu Ionescu/Bernadette Szocs (mixed doubles) and Elizabeta Samara (women's singles) in table tennis.
Romania participates in the European Games in Krakow - Malopolska (June 21-July 2) with 150 athletes, 74 women, 76 men, in 18 sports disciplines: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, judo, kayak-canoe , karate, rugby, ski jumping, diving, fencing, taekwondo, table tennis, teqball, archery, sport shooting, triathlon.
