Vladimir Samsonov

Personal information

Full name

Vladimir Viktorovich Samsonov^[1]

Nationality

Belarus

Playing style

Right-handed, shakehand grip

Equipment(s)

tibhar

Highest ranking

1^[2]

Born

April 17, 1976 (age 35)^[3]
Minsk, Belarus

Height

1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)

Weight

82 kg (180 lb; 12.9 st)

Medal record

Men's table tennis
Competitor for Belarus
World Championships
Bronze	1999 Eindhoven	Doubles
Silver	1997 Manchester	Singles
Silver	1995 Tianjin	Doubles
World Cup
Gold	2009 Moscow	Singles
Gold	2001 Courmayeur	Singles
Gold	1999 Xiaolan	Singles
Bronze	1997 Nimes	Singles
Bronze	1996 Nimes	Singles
European Championships
Silver	2010 Ostrava	Team
Silver	2008 Saint-Petersburg	Singles
Silver	2008 Saint-Petersburg	Team
Silver	2007 Belgrade	Singles
Gold	2005 Aarhus	Singles
Silver	2005 Aarhus	Doubles
Gold	2003 Courmayeur	Singles
Gold	2003 Courmayeur	Team
Gold	1998 Eindhoven	Singles
Gold	1998 Eindhoven	Doubles
Gold	1996 Bratislava	Mixed Doubles
Bronze	1994 Birmingham	Doubles

Vladimir Samsonov (Belarusian: Уладзімір Самсонаў/Uladzimir Samsonau) (born April 17, 1976 in Minsk) is a Belarusian professional table tennis player, ranked ninth in the world as of October 2011.^[3]^[4] He is known in China as the "Tai Chi Master" because of his superb all-around (both offensive and defensive) style.

Career records

Singles (as of December 26, 2010)^[5]

Olympics: QF (1996, 2000).^[1]
World Championships: runner-up (1997).
World Cup appearances: 12.
Record: winner (1999, 2001, 09); 3rd (1996, 97).
Pro Tour winner (×22):
Italian Open 1996; Swedish Open 1997; Croatian Open 1998; Croatian, Japan Open 1999; Croatian Open 2000; German Open 2001; Qatar Open 2003; Brazil Open 2004; Croatian, Russian, German Open 2005; Croatian, Chile Open 2006; Chinese Taipei Open 2007; Slovenian, Kuwait, Belarus Open 2008; Morocco Open 2009; Morocco, Korea, Polish Open 2010.
Runner-up (×9):
Qatar Open 1997; Yugoslavian, German Open 1998; Brazil Open 2000; German Open 2002; Polish Open 2006; Croatian Open 2007; Singapore Open 2008; German Open 2009.
Pro Tour Grand Finals appearances: 12. Record: winner (1997); runner-up (1996); SF (2008, 10).
European Championships: winner (1998, 2003, 05); runner-up (2007, 08).
Europe Top-12: winner (1998, 99, 2001, 07); 2nd (1997, 2002, 03, 05, 08, 09, 10).

Men's Doubles

Olympics: lost 1st stage (1996, 2000).
World Championships: runner-up (1995); SF (1999).
Pro Tour winner (×1): Austrian Open 1997.
Runner-up (×1): Croatian Open 1999.
Pro Tour Grand Finals appearances: 3.
Record: runner-up (1996, 97).
European Championships: winner (1998); runner-up (2005); SF (1994).

Mixed Doubles

World Championships: round of 16 (1995).
European Championships: winner (1996).

Team

World Championships: 7th (2010).
European Championships: 1st (2003); 2nd (2008, 10).

References

^ ^a ^b "Olympic results". http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/vladimir-samsonov-1.html. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
^ "ITTF Museum". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/museum/. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
^ ^a ^b "ITTF player's profile". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=108246&. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
^ "ITTF world ranking". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf1.asp?category=wr. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
^ "ITTF Statistics". International Table Tennis Federation. http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=6223&. Retrieved 2010-12-26.

Persondata
Name	Samsonov, Vladimir
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 17, 1976
Place of birth	Minsk, Belarus
Date of death
Place of death