Rainer Schmidt of Germany and Marleen Bengtsson-Kovacs of Sweden, both medalists at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, experienced defeat in their opening matches in the group stage of proceedings, in the first session of play in the Table Tennis events at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the Peking University Gymnasium.

Both were playing in the Women's Individual Classes 6-10 (standing classes).

In the Men's Individual Class 6 event Schmidt, the bronze medalist four years ago, lost to the 18-year-old Dave Wetherill of Great Britain making his first appearance in the Paralympic Games. Bengtsson-Kovacs, a silver medalist in Women's Individual Classes 6-8 at the Athens 2004 Paralympics, was beaten by Claire Mairie of France in her opening duel in the Women's Individual Classes 6/7 competition.

They were the only upsets in the opening session of play but there were close calls for several highly rated players.

Daniel Arnold of Germany, the No. 1 seed and defending champion in Men's Individual Class 6, was extended the full five games distance by Chen Chao of China; while in Men's Individual Class 8 both Richard Csejtey of Slovakia and Marc Ledoux of Belgium experienced troubled times before emerging victorious.

Csejtey, the gold medalist at the Athens 2004 Paralympics, needed the full five games to overcome Li Manzhou of China, while similarly, Ledoux, the silver medalist four years ago, was stretched to the limit by Miroslav Jambor of Slovakia.

Similarly, in Men's Individual Class 7 Jordi Morales of Spain, the Athens bronze medalist, was tested by Paul Karabardak of Great Britain, he needed five games to ensure victory; however for the gold and silver medalists from four years earlier, Stephane Messi of France and Jochen Wollmert of Germany, there were no moments of anguish.

Tough times for the men in Class 8 and a testing time for Kelly Van Zon of Netherlands in the Women's Individual Classes 6/7 event; seeded No.1, she was extended the full distance by Rebecca Julian of Australia.

Meanwhile for the other Athens medalists on duty there were few problems.

In Men's Individual Class 6, Peter Rosenmeier, the Athens silver medalist, defeated Pieter Du Plooy of South Africa, while in Men's Individual Class 8 it was a safe peg for Mathieu Loicq of Belgium, the gold medalist in Greece, he overcame Alain Pichon of France.

Success for highly rated male players and for the women it was very similar.

Monika Sikora-Weinmann of Germany and Valeria Zorzetto of Italy, the respective gold and silver medalists at the Athens 2004 Paralympics, came through their opening matches in Women's Individual Class 4 without trouble; the former defeated Teresa Arenales of Mexico, the latter Claire Robertson of Great Britain.

In Women's Individual Class 5 it was the same scenario. Defending champion, Ren Guixang of China beat Maria Luiza Passos of Brazil, while the bronze medalist four years ago, Wei Mei-Hui of Chinese Taipeiovercame Maria Paredes of Mexico.

Also, there was success for the top seed. Andrea Zimmerer of Germany accounted for Barbara Baraszcz of Poland.

In Women's Individual Class 6/7, Zhang Xiaoling of China, the Athens winner, beat Jane Karla Rodrigues of Brazil; while in Women's Individual Class 9 there were wins for Liu Meili of China, the Athens champion and Lei Lina of China, the silver medalist. Liu Meili defeated Sarah Lazzaro of Auatralia while Lei Lina overcame Carolina Maldonado of Brazil.

Victories for the stars and in Women's Individual Class 10 that was also the case.

Natalia Partyka of Poland, the top seed and reigning champion, overcame Audrey Le Morvan of France while the Athens bronze medalist, Li Yuqiang of China defeated Hou Chunxiao of China.

(BOCOG September 7, 2008)