By Gary Anderson

March 20 - Paralympic champion Tommy Urhaug of Norway retained his title at this week's Lignano Masters Para Open ©Getty Images The end of singles competition at this year's Lignano Masters Para Open saw eight of the reigning champions return to Italy and successfully defend their titles, including Paralympic gold medallists Tommy Urhaug, Anna Carin Ahlquist and Kelly Van Zon.

Norwegian Urhaug reigned supreme in the men's class five competition, seeing off the challenge of Serbia's Mitar Palikuca in straight sets, while Scandinavian counterpart Carin Ahlquist recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Croatian Andjela Muzinic 3-1 in the women's class three final.

Meanwhile, Dutchwoman Van Zon finished ahead of Ukrainians Victoriya Safonova and Ulija Shishkina in the women's class seven competition, which was decided using a round-robin system.

There was better news for Ukraine in the final of the women's class 11 event as Natalya Kosmina proved too strong for Poland's Krystyna Siemieniecka, recording a routine 3-0 win.

Russian Nadejda Poushpacheva and Serbia's Borislava Peric Rankovic were the other women to retain their crowns in Lignano in the class one-two and class four-five categories respectively.

The men's class 11 title stayed in the hands of Frenchman Pascal Pereira-Leal, while London 2012 silver medallist Will Bayley of Great Britain dominated the class seven category, overcoming European champion Mykhaylo Popov of Ukraine in the semi-final and looked impressive as he despatched Spain's Jordi Morales in straight sets to take the decider and retain his title.

Compatriot David Wetherill lost out to Bastien Grundeler of France in the final of the men's class six competition, while Sur Gilroy secured a third medal for Great Britain after taking bronze in the women's class four-five.

Great Britain's Will Bayley continued his good start to the year by retaining his class seven title in Lignano ©GB Para Table TennisGreat Britain's Will Bayley continued his good start to the year by retaining his class seven title in Lignano ©GB Para Table Tennis



"It has been a good two days against tough competition," said GB performance director Gorazd Vecko afterwards.

"We have three medals and for Will Bayley to beat the European champion 3-0 in the final is a really good result."

Elsewhere in the men's competition, South Koreans Kim Mingyu in class two, Kim Younggun in class four and Nam Kiwon in class one all secured gold in Lignano, while Florian Merrien of France and Ukrainian Viktor Didukh prevailed in the class three and class eight competitions respectively.

On the women's side, new champions were crowned in the form of class eight winner Yulia Klymenko of Ukraine and Germany's Jennie Wolf, who took the class 10 title.

Attention in Lignano now turns to the team competition, which runs through until Saturday (March 22).

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