World Junior Circuit Finals: Zhang Mo Claims Bronze
November 1, 2007

Mo Zhang Photo Courtesy of ITTF

Courtesy of CTTA Capetown, South Africa - October 28, 2007. Canada's top female junior table tennis athlete finished third at the World Junior Circuit Finals, an excellent result that would make many athletes jump for joy. In Zhang Mo's case more was possible. Using her Hudson Bay Company training grant, Zhang Mo spent much of the summer preparing for the season in one of Table Tennis Canada's partner centers in China. For the new season, the 18-year old Canadian started her first European league contract, competing and training in Germany with some of the best athletes in the sport.

It came, therefore, only as reassurance that after the first two days Zhang Mo was the only athlete with a clean record at the World Junior Circuit Finals - not one athlete could extend Canada's #1 to seven games.

Zhang Mo defeated:
Kai Xin Zena Sim SIN 4-2
Alisha Van Rooyen RSA 4-0
Hana Matelova CZE 4-0
Elena Troshneva RUS 4-1
Ma Wenting NOR 4-0

As the only athlete with a clean record, Zhang Mo moved into the semi-finals of the WJC Finals, the second most prestigious junior event of the year after the World Junior Championships (to be staged in December in Palo Alto, Califorrnia.)

The expectation of a place in the finals was high, since the opponent turned out to be Norway's Ma Wenting over whom Zhang recorded a 4-0 win in the early rounds.

Unfortunately the Canadian lost a close semi-finals match to the Norwegian youngster and had to content herself with bronze.

Final Ranking: 1 - Misako Wakamiya JPN
2 - Ma Wenting NOR
3 - Zhang Mo CAN Elizabeta Samara ROU