Elizabeta Samara (born 15 April 1989 in Constanța) is a professional Romanian table tennis player.[4][1] She won European titles in singles, doubles and team events at the European Championships and has represented Romania four times at the Summer Olympics.

Elizabeta Samara
Personal information
Born (1989-04-15) 15 April 1989 (age 35)
Constanța, Romania
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Table tennis career
Playing styleLeft-handed, shakehand
Equipment(s)Butterfly, Jun Mizutani ZLC
Highest ranking13 (September 2014)[2]
Current ranking31 (20 February 2024)[3]
ClubCSA Steaua București
Medal record
Women's table tennis
Representing  Romania
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2012 Huangshi Singles
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Kraków–Małopolska Team
Silver medal – second place 2019 Minsk Team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Kraków–Małopolska Singles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Aarhus Team
Gold medal – first place 2009 Stuttgart Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2011 Istanbul Mixed Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2012 Herning Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2012 Buzău Mixed Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2015 Yekaterinburg Singles
Gold medal – first place 2017 Luxembourg City Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Nantes Team
Silver medal – second place 2010 Ostrava Team
Silver medal – second place 2011 Gdansk-Sopot Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Gdansk-Sopot Team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Schwechat Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Yekaterinburg Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2015 Yekaterinburg Team
Silver medal – second place 2021 Cluj-Napoca Team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Munich Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2023 Malmö Team
Bronze medal – third place 2008 St. Petersburg Team
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Subotica Mixed Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Ostrava Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Budapest Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Budapest Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Warsaw Singles
Europe Top-16
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Montreux Singles

Samara had represented different teams in club competitions, including Turkish club Fenerbahçe SK and Romanian CSA Steaua București.[5][6] On 26 July 2022, she agreed on terms with Greek club Panathinaikos.[7]

Personal life

edit

Samara is an ethnic Aromanian, and was born in a family of Aromanians.[8]

Singles titles

edit
Year Tournament Final opponent Score Ref
2013 ITTF World Tour, Americas, Brazil Open   Ankita Das 4–2 [9]
2014 ITTF World Tour, Czech Open   Ai Fukuhara 4–3 [9]
2015 ITTF World Tour, Qatar Open   Han Ying 4–0 [9]
European Championships   Li Jie 4–3 [10]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Eliza Samara". olympedia.org. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. ^ "ITTF World Ranking Progression". ittf.com. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. ^ "ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking". ittf.com. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Elizabeta Samara". london2012.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Melek ile Elizabeta Avrupa'nın en iyileri arasında" (in Turkish). fenerbahce.org. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Eliza Samara prezentata oficial la Steaua" (in Romanian). csasteaua.ro. 3 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Στο «τριφύλλι» η Σαμάρα" (in Greek). Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  8. ^ Ștefan, Alex (5 October 2015). "Eliza Samara: povestea campioanei europene și incredibila asemănare dintre ea și Simona Halep". Adevărul (in Romanian).
  9. ^ a b c "Finals". ittf.com. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Romanian Elizabeta Samara wins gold at the European table tennis championships". romania-insider.com. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
edit