1973 World Table Tennis Championships
The 32nd World Table Tennis Championship took place from 5 to 15 April 1973 in Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia instead. Venue was the Skenderija sports center.
Summary
This World Cup would have than that of Swedish men may go down in history. After the surprising victory in the team competition - China and Japan were defeated - and the victory of Stellan Bengtsson / Kjell Johansson in the men's doubles was Kjell Johansson in the men's singles short of the world title. Ultimately, however, sat Hsi En -Ting through with his safer game against the impetuous attacking Sweden.
Implementation of team competitions
The teams were divided into categories according to their placement in the last World Championship 1971: Places 1 to 14 were assigned to category 1, seats 15 to 28 in Category 2 seats 29-40 in category 3, etc. If a team at the last World Cup was not represented, then it was by default classified in the lowest category, unless the national Association requested a higher classification, which was the case with the men's team of the USSR.
In each category, two groups of seven were formed, where the teams -for- Heden fought in the mode. The resulting First and Second were playing for places 1-4 in each category, the Third and Fourth for the places 5-8 etc.
Cutting off the Germans
Men's team competition
The sixth place of the German men in the previous World Cup in 1971 entitled them to start in Category 1 where they defeated in Group B, France and England, but lost against Japan, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the USSR. This arrived for fifth place in this group. In the games for places 9 to 14 the team won against Indonesia, Austria, India, England and France, and thus came in ninth place overall.
Women's team competition
The seventh place in the German ladies at the previous World Cup in 1971 entitled them to start in Category 1 where they defeated in Group B Sweden and Yugoslavia, and subject to the teams of China, South Korea, Romania and France. This arrived for fourth place in this group. In the games for the places 5-8, the team won against the CSSR and lost against the USSR and Czechoslovakia. This was enough for seventh place in the overall standings.
Find out more
- Prior to the implementation of the World Cup England had rejected because no suitable hall was available.
- The Swede Stellan Bengtsson receives from the SCI Richard Bergmann Fair Play Award.
- The Swede Kjell Johansson receives the Victor Barna Price from SCI.
Stamps
Yugoslavia was on 5 April 1973 a special stamp worth two dinars out ( Michel catalog No. 1505 ). 450,000 blocks each with 9 brands were launched. In addition there was a First Day Cover with commemorative of Belgrade, Zagreb and Sarajevo.
South Korea celebrated the gold medal of its women's team with a special stamp with printed value of 10 Won ( Michel catalog No. 872 ). The issue was made on 23 May 1973. Already during the World Cup in South Korea, there was a special with table tennis motif.