Ilona Kerekes It is with great sadness that the death of Hungary’s Ilona Kerekes has been advised. Born on Monday 25th October 1926, she passed away in October 2023. At the World Championships, playing under her maiden name Solyom; alongside Gizi Farkas, Rozsi Karpati and Ilona Király she was a member of the Hungarian outfit that won women's team silver in 1950 in Budapest. Four years later in 1954 in London, known as Kerekes, when joining forces with Gizi Farkas, Éva Kóczián and Agnes Simon, again the medal colour was silver. In addition, at the 1960 European Championships in Zagreb; she was a member of the gold medal winning women's team alongside Eva Koczian, Gizi Farkas, Sarolta Mathe and Livia Mossoczy. Later in the same tournament
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Welcome, Ian Harrison
Ian Harrison in 1960 having won both men's singles and men's doubles titles at the English Open The Swaythling Club International is pleased to welcome Ian Harrison as its most recent member. A member of the England national team from 1955 to 1969, most notably at the 1960 English Open he secured the men's singles and the mixed doubles titles partnering Diane Rowe. Amongst many successes he won the men's singles title at the English National Championships in 1961 and 1967. Read: Table Tennis Times Autumn 2023: Pages 10 - 15
Joe Veselsky Celebrates 105th Birthday
A Slovakian group provided the entertainment. Founder member of the Swaythling Club in 1967, the most senior member of all, Ireland's Joe Veselsky celebrated his 105th birthday on Friday 20th October. Sweden's Hans Westling, who for many years was the organiser of the World Veteran Championships, and Joe Hickey, likewise a member of the Swaythling Club International, were present for the occasion. A group from Slovakia entertained with song and dance. Resident in a nursing home, Joe Veselsky was in typical good humour, welcoming all with open arms and a broad smile. Joe Hickey, Joe Veselsky and Hans Westling (Photo: courtesy of Hans Westling)
Petra Sörling, elected Member of International Olympic Committee
Member of the Swaythling Club International, Petra Sörling has been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee. She is the first President of the International Table Tennis Federation to gain such a position. A full appraisal appears on the ITTF.com The newly elected members with centre, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (Photo: ITTF/IOC)
Swaythling Club Guest Players Named for Rome
Thierry Miller awarded one of the guest places (Photo: ITTF) The Swaythling Club International has named the guest players to compete in the ITTF World Masters Championships Rome 2024 from Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July. As anticipated, we had a record number of applications for the ten places offered by the ITTF and the Local Organisers, this gave the Committee an extremely difficult task. After much deliberation, the decision was taken. Harvey Webb, Secretary, Swaythling Club International. The selected players: Katalina Gatinska (Bulgaria) Ibrahim Kamara (Sierra Leone) Jouko Manni (Finland) Aleksandar Matkovic (Serbia) Thierry Miller (Switzerland) James Morris (New Zealand) Denis Neale (England) Dusan Tigerman (Netherlands) Edit Urban (Germany) Liova Yosulevsky (Israel)
Anton Lehmann (1946 – 2023)
Secretary of the Swiss branch of the Swaythling Club International and Honorary Life Member of the Swiss Table Tennis Federation, Anton Lehman passed away on Sunday 3rd September. Born on Friday 15th March 1946, he was 77 years only, one year earlier he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Alongside his younger brother, Walter, who died several years ago, and his sister Vreni, table tennis started at Elite Berne, the same club as where Reto Bazzi, Deputy President of the Swaythling Club, began his career in 1972. Anton competed in the highest league in Switzerland, Vreni progressed to represent the national team. However, there was much more to Anton than being a high-class player. He gained the highest Swiss coaching diploma, became the first
Zdenko Kríž elected ITTF Honorary Life Member
Slovakia's Zdenko Kríž, a member of the Swaythling Club International Executive Committee, was elected Honorary Life Member of the International Table Tennis Federation at the ITTF Board of Directors meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday 23rd August. The commendation recognises long-term service to the sport of table tennis both nationally and locally. Honorary President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association for 38 years Elected President of the Slovak Table Tennis Association 13 times Guided table tennis to become the second most popular sport in Slovakia Member of the ITTF Board of Directors for 18 years Member of the ITTF Media Committee for 10 years Chair of the ETTU Veteran Committee for 23 years Attended 28 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Attended 10 Olympic Games Received
Guest Places Increased, Now Ten Available in Rome
Ten guest places now offered at World Masters' Championships 2024 Thanks to the generous efforts of the International Table Tennis Federation in co-operation with the Italian Table Tennis Federation, the number of guest places for members of the Swaythling Club International has been increased. Ten places are now available. Staged in Rome from Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July, the package includes hotel accommodation, meals, local transport, collection and return to the local airport or relevant point of arrival. All players are responsible for their own transport to Rome and for entry fees. A large entry is anticipated in Rome, the guest player places will be in high demand. Deadline: Applications must be received before Friday 1st September 2023. Contact: Harvey Webb, Swaythling Club International Secretary. Email: harveywebb17@gmail.com .
Six guest places offered at World Masters’ Championships
The International Table Tennis Federation in conjunction with the Italian Table Tennis Federation and the Local Organising Committee kindly offer six guest player places for Swaythling Club members at the World Masters’ Championships 2024. Staged in Rome from Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July, the package includes hotel accommodation, meals, local transport, collection and return to the local airport or relevant point of arrival. All players are responsible for their own transport to Rome and for entry fees. Notably, the tournament follows a successful European Veteran Championships in Norway. A large entry is anticipated in Rome, the guest player places will be in high demand. Deadline: Applications must be received before Friday 1st September 2023. Contact: Harvey Webb, Swaythling Club International Secretary. Email: harveywebb17@gmail.com https://youtu.be/dE5U2So7PRw
2023 European Veteran Championships – Saturday 1st July
Zdenko Kriz and Reto Bazzi, members of the Swaythling Club International Executive Committee, were members of the presentation party (Photo: Organising Committee) n Play at the 2023 European Veteran Championships concluded on Saturday 1st July after six days of action. h Swaythling Club International Medallists at 2023 European Veteran Championships m Men's Singles 75 Years: (left to right): Niels Ramberg, Wilfried Lieck, Niels Poulson (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Two titles for Jing Tian-Zörner (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Doubles 85 Years: Keith Powell and Hans Westling alongside Peter Achenbach and Clement Vanstraelan (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Men's Singles 60 Years: Tadeusz Piotrowski, Lars Hauth, Giovanni Bisi and Matthias Bluhm (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 70 Years Suzanne Pedersen (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Two titles for Thierry Miller (Photo: Reto Bazzi) Women's Singles 65 Years: Petra Rubin,