Finally it was that time again, time for table tennis at LUSEM. The tournament first started in 2013 but has had three breaks over the years, which is why the 10-year celebration took place last year. (See the fact box for more details on past years and winners.)
This year 24 players battled it out to the very end, and the final raised the bar even higher than last year’s – which was already outstanding. Six lucky players–or three pairs–made it into the top three, and they were: and Christian Jörgensen and Hanqing Wu (winners), and Victor Holmgren and Erik Siebers (second place) and Daniel Eriksson and Hassan Hamadi (third place).
New this year
New this year, the competition has been renamed from FEK Table Tennis Tournament to LUSEM Table Tennis Tournament, reflecting that it has long been organised within and for the entire LUSEM community.
A set of quick questions for the winners
How did these winners, as well as the silver and bronze medalists, felt after their games? Did they train a lot beforehand, and what do they love most about the competition? Join us as we meet some of our fantastic players!
1st place – Gold/Winners
Christian Jörgensen and Hanqing Wu
Congratulations Christian and Hanqing! How do you feel?
Both: “So good!”
This is the second win for both of you, but not together. You Christian won last year together with Daniel Gunnarsson and you Hanqing won a couple of years ago?
Hanqing: “Yes, in 2023, together with Erik Siebers. Today the two of us were opponents.”
Have the two of you ever played together before?
Hanqing: “No, actually this is the first time I met Christian!”
What’s the best thing about FEK Table Tennis Tournament?
Hanqing: “It's a good meetingpoint. It's very nice!”
Christian: “This is some competition! A lot of joy and a great audience as well!”
Hanqing: “The atmosphere of course, and it's a great leisure activity held at our school. And I have to say I had a very nice team mate, it felt good to come back to this tournament after three years!”
Do you also play outside the tournament?
Christian: “I do, on a regular basis.”
Hanqing: “No!”
2nd place – Silver
Victor Holmgren and Erik Siebers
Congratulations Victor and Erik! How do you feel?
Erik: “It feels good, very good. It was fun!”
Erik has a win and several top-three finishes, while Victor secured silver in just his second competition.
Had you played together before?
Victor: “Yes, on two occasions to practice before the play, down at Department of Business Administration.”
Do you also play outside the tournament?
Both: “No. Only here!”
Victor: “Last time I played was at last year's competition.”
What’s the best thing about this Table Tennis Tournament?
Erik: “A great combination of competition and a friendly vibe.”
Victor: “It is very nice with an event like this, doing something together. Even if you don't play it's nice to be here and meet people. You might meet someone you usually don't talk to.”
3rd place – Bronze
Daniel Eriksson and Hassan Hamadi
Congratulations Daniel and Hassan! How do you feel?
Daniel: “Very sad!” (Hassan laughs)
Because of your loss?
Both: “Yeah!”
Hassan: “It was tough, a tough competition. But it feels really good because when you have this kind of happening on a regular basis you just feel like the last competition happened yesterday. This time it just flew by. We were so close to loosing, but we didn't!”
Have the two of you played together before?
Daniel: “No, we never met!”
What’s the best thing about FEK Table Tennis Tournament?
Daniel: “I think it's a very good way to meet other people from other parts of the organisation.”
Hassan: “And it's not only the people that are playing, there are people drinking coffee, watching the game and so on...This whole environment is quite exceptional! It feels good, it feels more like home, a fun place to be.”
Daniel again: “It's a very friendly tournament! People take care of each other here.”
Do you also play outside the tournament?
Both: “No, never! Last time we played was here, last year!”
Thank you, all participants! See you next year!
The Challenge Cup will now be looked after by Hanqing Wu at the department of Statistics and his co-winner Christian Jörgensen at AgriFood. As Christian has already had it for a year, he didn’t hesitate to say: “You can take care of it first!”
