Chen Po-Yen, Kim Gi Tae, Elena Prokofeva, and Wada Natsuki Advance to Class 11 Finals Showdown

The top eight Class 11 athletes clashed in an intense semifinal at South Paris Arena 4, delivering thrilling table tennis battles.

In the Men’s category, 17-year-old 2023 Virtus Global Games champion, Chen Po-Yen (TPE), faced three-time Paralympic champion, Peter Palos (HUN), in a gripping bronze medal match. Po-Yen dominated from the start, winning the first set 11-4 and continued his relentless pace to win the next two sets 11-3 and 11-7, securing his spot in the gold medal match.

Reflecting on his defeat, Peter expressed a mix of pride and reality:

“Chen Po-Yen was faster and more skilled, and we couldn’t find the right tactics. Every shot he made was better. But I’m proud of my performance, especially after beating the French player 3-0 yesterday with the full stadium cheering against me. He’s got a great chance to win the gold. It’ll be tough to beat him in future competitions“

His coach added, “This was Peter’s maximum, maybe more than we expected. It was a tough match, but he did great. We are very happy with the Bronze medal”

On another table, Australia’s Sam Von Einem went head-to-head with Kim Gi Tae (KOR). While Sam showed form early on, Kim took control, winning the first set 11-5. Sam rallied back with an 11-8 win in the second set, but Kim’s powerful backhand helped him claim the next two sets 11-9 and 15-13, securing his place in the finals.

In the Women’s category, Tokyo 2020 champion Elena Prokofeva (NPA) faced Japan’s Furukawa Kanami in a hard-fought match. Kanami took the first set 11-5, but Elena responded with an 11-9 victory. The match see-sawed until Elena’s experience helped her win the final two sets 11-7 and 11-6.

“It was a very difficult match for me. Elena knew my style and controlled the game. I wanted gold, but my family just wanted to see me on the podium, so I’m happy to have won bronze for them and Japan. I’ll come back stronger next time.” Kanami told Virtus Sport.

On another table, Turkey’s Acer Ebru faced Japan’s Wada Natsuki in a dramatic semi-final. The match was a fierce back-and-forth, with Acer winning the first and third sets, while Natsuki claimed the second and fourth. In a tense decider, Natsuki triumphed 11-7.

“I knew Acer was strong, so I was prepared. My coach kept telling me to stay calm and play my game, and that’s what I did,” Natsuki said after the win. 

Disappointed with her performance, Acer told Virtus, “I’m very sad. I wanted the gold so badly, but I will come back stronger.”

Wada Natsuki will face Elena Prokofeva in the Women’s Gold medal match, while in the Men’s final, Kim Gi Tae will take on Chen Po-Yen for the top spot.