Dimitrij Ovtcharov

Dimitrij Ovtcharov
Dimitrij Ovtcharov
Personal information
Nationality  Germany
Residence Düsseldorf, Germany
Hamelin, Germany
Playing style Right-handed, shakehand grip
Highest ranking 11 (December 2010)[1]
Club GAZPROM Fakel Orenburg (Russia) [2]
Born September 2, 1988 (1988-09-02) (age 23)
Kiev, Ukraine
Height 1.86 m (6.1 ft)[3]
Weight 74 kg (160 lb)

Dimitrij Ovtcharov (born September 2, 1988 in Kiev) is a Ukrainian-born German table tennis player.[3] As of February 2011, he is ranked #15 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).[1]

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Ovtcharov won the silver medal as part of the German men's team, together with Timo Boll and Christian Süß.[4][5] He used a special technique in his serves, which was later picked by TIME as one of the top 50 innovations of 2008.[6]

On September 22, 2010 Ovtcharov had been suspended by the German Table Tennis Federation (DTTB) due to a positive A-sample test for Clenbuterol that may be used as performance-enhancing substance.[7] Ovtcharov himself denied the doping accusation and requested a B-sample analysis which still tested positive.[8][9] After hearings and further investigations, the hair sample voluntarily offered by Ovtcharov showed no evidence of clenbuterol and its abuse. DTTB later unanimously decided to abolish the suspension on October 15, 2010.[10] The decision was endorsed by ITTF.[11]

Career records

Singles (as of June 14, 2011)[12]

Men's Doubles

  • World Championships: round of 16 (2009).
  • Pro Tour winner (1): 2007 Chinese Taipei Open.
  • Pro Tour Grand Finals appearances: 1. Record: QF (2007).

Mixed Doubles

  • World Championships: round of 64 (2007).

Team

  • Olympics: 2nd (2008).
  • World Championships: 2nd (2010).
  • World Team Cup: 3rd (2009).
  • European Championships: 1st (2007, 08, 09, 10).

References

  1. ^ a b "ITTF world ranking". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Player_ID=107028&U18=0&U21=0&Siniors=1. Retrieved 2010-08-19. 
  2. ^ "European Champions League". European Table Tennis Union. http://www.ecl-ettu.com/index.php?team=team&&id=15&&l1=l1&&detail=profiles. Retrieved 2010-10-17. 
  3. ^ a b "OVTCHAROV Dimitrij". Players' Biographies. International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=107028. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
  4. ^ Guériau, Hubert, and Marius Widmer (2008-08-18). "Chinese Players Merciless with German Challengers". ITTF News (International Table Tennis Federation). http://www.ittf.com/stories/Stories_detail.asp?Year=&General_Catigory=general%2C+OG%2C+Waiting___&ID=16133. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
  5. ^ a b "Olympic results". Sports Reference LLC. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ov/dmitrij-ovtcharov-1.html. Retrieved 2010-08-19. 
  6. ^ "The new ping-pong serve". TIME. 2008-10-29. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854175,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-16. 
  7. ^ "Dimitrij OVTCHAROV suspended because of positive doping test". European Table Tennis Union (ETTU). 2010-09-22. http://www.ettu.org/news_view.php?id=3117. Retrieved 2010-10-02. 
  8. ^ Miletic, Alex (2010-09-23). "Dima interviewed by ZDF: "The worst day in whole my life"". ETTU. http://www.ettu.org/news_view.php?id=3121. Retrieved 2010-10-02. 
  9. ^ Hinz, Simone (2010-09-30). "Positive B sample doping test for Dimitrij OVTCHAROV". ETTU. http://www.ettu.org/news_view.php?id=3141. Retrieved 2010-10-02. 
  10. ^ "OVTCHAROV's suspension is over: "Huge stone fell from my heart"". ETTU. 2010-10-15. http://ettu.org/news_view.php?id=3179. Retrieved 2010-10-17. 
  11. ^ Marshall, Ian (2010-10-15). "Good News for Ovtcharov". ITTF. http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story2.asp?ID=22286. Retrieved 2010-10-17. 
  12. ^ "ITTF Statistics". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=8429. Retrieved 2011-02-26. 


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