Table tennis player Major Endre won a bronze medal in the MS1 category at the Paris Paralympics on Wednesday.
The 55-year-old European champion - who was fourth in Rio and fifth in Tokyo - already secured his place on the podium by winning his quarter-final on Tuesday, as there are no bronze medal matches in this sport.
On Wednesday, the table tennis player from Szeged in a wheelchair played against the British Robert Davies in the top four, whom he defeated 1:2 in last year's European European final in Sheffield, and thus also secured the quota for the current Paralympics.
Wednesday's match did not start well, he scored his first point after 0-6, and although he then caught up, the opponent from the archipelago got a set advantage. Davies was in control in the second game as well, easily collecting points, and Major made a lot of mistakes, so he soon fell behind by two points.
In the third set, Major was in the lead (at 8-7 the national team captain Zsolt Vigh asked for a timeout), and in the end he managed to improve in a tight final game, and the fourth set brought great excitement.
The British regained control, trailing 7-2, but Major did not give up and equalized, then while saving three match points, he had the ball several times to equalize. At 15-14, Davies then took advantage of his fourth match point, so he reached Friday's final, while the Hungarian player ended his performance in the French capital with a bronze medal.
It was a very good match, there was finally some excitement, I really enjoyed it - Major Endre said smiling in the mixed zone.
"Two styles met. He is stronger, spins bigger ones, and I am completely forced to defend myself. If I give him the ball back, he kills it. I can't hit as hard as him, so I tried to solve the ball movements with drop-ins. However, he puts in huge twists, so in the first two sets I didn't even know what to do with his balls, after that I started to get the hang of it, but it was too little and too late. It could be felt that he was very prepared against me. It was better, I congratulate him!” said the athlete.
The new Paralympic bronze medalist said that they had never experienced anything like this before regarding the conditions and the huge support.
"The Parisian community created an atmosphere that I have never experienced before. Obviously, it was unusual, but I also consider this very positive, that they came out and supported us. I am very happy with this bronze medal. In all aspects, this Paralympics is in the first place in my career, I won a medal, and the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the locals is unforgettable".
The player participated in the Paralympics for the third time, but he has not yet decided on the continuation, as he put it: "As long as I feel that I have motivation, I will do it."
Major Endre won the third medal of the Hungarian delegation in Paris, the first bronze after a gold and a silver.
MTI
Cover image: Hungarian athlete wins bronze
Source: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák
