CARTAGENA – The young Koreans, who have five players in the field, are launching their attack on the World Junior Championships in Cartagena starting today. The tournament follows the Women's World Championship, in which Therese Klompenhouwer claimed the title, the sixth in her career. In the junior competition, Turkey's Seymen Ozbas defends his title in the 16th championship. Ten Europeans will compete, along with six Asians, four Americans, and two Africans.
The youngest of the entire field is Korea's Hyeon Woo Kim, who is only 15. Two of five other Koreans, Gyu Seung Lee and Deo Hyeon Kim, are 17. Two Europeans are also in their 17th year of age: Dutchman Luca Philipoom is eleven days older than Germany's Amir Ibraimov. The Dutchman plays in an interesting group of three against Nicolas Cermak from the Czech Republic and Valentino Oliveto from Argentina. The oldest players in the field are Luis Pinto from Portugal and Sang Uk Jung from Korea. The wild card has been awarded to Arturo Zotov from Spain.
The first matches of the preliminary rounds (starting at 11:00 a.m.):
Khaled-Turla
Miyamoto-Zotov
Son-Kim
Philipoom-Cermak
The groups for the preliminary rounds:
Group A:
Seymen Ozbas (Turkey), Muhaned Khaled (Egypt), Paolo Turla (Italy)
Group B:
Amir Ibraimov (Germany), Ryusi Miyamoto (Japan), Arturo Zotov (Spain)
Group C:
Marcos Morales (Spain), Jun Hyuk Son (Korea), Hyeon Woo Kim (Korea)
Group D:
Valentino Oliveto (Argentina), Luca Philipoom (Netherlands), Nicolas Cermak (Czech Republic)
Group E:
Mario Insignares (Colombia), Luis Pinto (Portugal), Jose Martinez (Colombia)
Group F:
Daniel Sainz Pardo (Spain), Ataberk Cerkez (Turkey), Sang Uk Jung (Korea)
Group G:
Do Hyeon Kim (Korea), Ubaldo Sanchez (Mexico), Gyu Seung Lee (Korea)
Group H:
Tangui Duriez (France), Toon Bollansee (Belgium), Toni Garcia (Spain).
Dutchman Luca Philipoom in an interesting group
Spanish player Zotov received the wildcard