England Team Championships Bronze 2024 1200

17 February 2024

England won bronze at the European Men’s Team Championship in Lodz to make the podium for the first time since 2018. 

The team of Harry Huang, Toby Penty, Callum Hemming, Sean Vendy, Nadeem Dalvi, Ben Lane, Ethan van Leeuwen, Zach Russ and Cholan Kayan lost to France in the semi-final having won two of their ties during the week.

England shared the bronze medal with Germany, while France and Denmark will battle for gold tomorrow in Poland.

In the semi-final, newly crowned English open singles’ champion Huang suffered a 21-17 21-13 defeat to Toma Junior Popov in the opening tie.

Despite the loss, Huang improved on his performance from the opening game of the group stages where he lost 21-12 21-11 to the same opponent.

Hemming and Vendy were beaten 21-11 21-16 by Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar in the men’s doubles game before Nadeem Dalvi’s 21-12 21-16 loss to Christo Popov confirmed England’s bronze medal.

After defeat to France in the group stage, England claimed back-to-backs wins, starting off with a 4-1 triumph over Ukraine.

Danylo Bosniuk had put Ukraine ahead with a 21-15 21-13 win over Huang before England claimed four straight rubbers to get themselves on the board.

Cholan Kayan put in a commanding performance to beat out Viacheslave Yakovlev, before Lane and Vendy won their doubles tie.

Toby Penty confirmed the victory for England before Zach Russ and Ethan van Leeuwen triumphed in the final match.

Against the Netherlands in a de facto decider, the team twice came from behind to book their place in the last four.

After Huang had lost his singles tie, Hemming and Vendy drew England level with a 21-10 21-10 win before the Dutch regained the advantage.

Lane and Van Leeuwen came through a three-game epic, beating Andy Buijk and Ties van der Lecq 21-15 21-23 21-10.

Penty held his nerve to secure the overall win with a 21-14 21-14 defeat of Finn Achthoven in the deciding singles rubber.

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