Diane Rowe

{{short description|British table tennis player (1933–2023)}}

{{expand German|topic=bio|date=April 2022|Diane Schöler}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox table tennis player

| name = Diane Rowe

| image = Diane Rowe (1962).jpg

| imagesize = 240

| caption = Rowe in 1962

| full_name = Diane Schöler-Rowe

| education =

| nationality = English, West German

| playingstyle =

| birth_date = {{birth date text|14 April 1933}}

| birth_place = Marylebone, London, England

| death_date = {{death-date and age|19 June 2023|14 April 1933}}

| death_place = Düsseldorf, Germany

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Table tennis}}

{{MedalCountry | {{FRG}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships}}

{{MedalBronze | 1971 Nagoya | Mixed doubles}}

{{MedalCompetition | European Championships}}

{{MedalSilver | 1972 Rotterdam | Team}}

{{MedalSilver | 1970 Moscow | Doubles}}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships}}

{{MedalBronze | 1965 Ljubljana | Team}}

{{MedalSilver | 1963 Prague | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1959 Dortmund | Doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1957 Stockholm | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1956 Tokyo | Doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1956 Tokyo | Team}}

{{MedalSilver | 1955 Utrecht | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1955 Utrecht | Team}}

{{MedalGold | 1954 Wembley | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1954 Wembley | Team}}

{{MedalBronze | 1953 Bucharest | Singles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1953 Bucharest | Doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1953 Bucharest | Team}}

{{MedalSilver | 1952 Bombay | Doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1952 Bombay | Mixed doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1952 Bombay | Team}}

{{MedalGold | 1951 Vienna | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1951 Vienna | Mixed doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1951 Vienna | Team}}

{{MedalCompetition | European Championships}}

{{MedalBronze | 1966 London | Doubles}}

{{MedalGold | 1964 Malmo | Doubles}}

{{MedalGold | 1964 Malmo | Team}}

{{MedalSilver | 1962 Berlin | Singles}}

{{MedalGold | 1962 Berlin | Doubles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1962 Berlin | Mixed doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1962 Berlin | Team}}

{{MedalBronze | 1960 Zagreb | Singles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1960 Zagreb | Doubles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1960 Zagreb | Team}}

{{MedalBronze | 1958 Budapest | Doubles}}

{{MedalGold | 1958 Budapest | Team}}

|}}

Diane Schöler (née Rowe; 14 April 1933 – 19 June 2023) was an English table tennis player. In 1966 she married German table tennis player Eberhard Schöler, and from that time on competed for West Germany.Zeitschrift DTS, 1966/20, pp. 6–7 From 1951 to 1972 she won several medals in single, double, and team events in the Table Tennis European Championships, and in the World Table Tennis Championships.[http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=6343 SCHOLER-ROWE Diane (FRG)]. ittf.com

Rowe started training in table tennis aged 14, under Viktor Barna. She was left-handed and until 1951 played a defensive style, but later put more accent on attacking. In early 1966, she married Eberhard Schöler and moved to Düsseldorf, where she gave birth to a daughter. She retired from competitions in 1973 and until 1997 worked as a table tennis coach. In 1993 she received the ITTF Merit Award,Zeitschrift DTS, 1993/6, p. 10 and in 2001 the Dieter Mauritz Gedächtnispreis.Zeitschrift DTS, 2001/7, p. 27

Rowe also won 17 English Open titles.

Diane Rowe had a twin sister, Rosalind Rowe, who was also an international table tennis player. They often played doubles together.[http://www.ettu.org/2013/04/happy-birthday-diane-and-rosalind-hational-heroines/ Happy birthday Diane and Rosalind, national heroines] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718170918/http://www.ettu.org/2013/04/happy-birthday-diane-and-rosalind-hational-heroines/ |date=2014-07-18 }}. ettu.org. 15 April 2013. In 1955 they published a book The twins on table tennis.{{cite book|author=Diane Rowe and Rosalind Rowe |year=1955|title='The twins' on table tennis|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/twins-table-tennis-diane-rosalind/dp/B0048O4ULY}} Their father was the amateur footballer Vivian Rowe, and their uncle was footballer Ronald Rowe.{{Cite book|title = Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006|last = Haynes|first = Graham|publisher = Yore Publications|year = 2006|isbn = 978-0955294914|location =Harefield |pages =138|first2 = Frank|last2 = Coumbe}}

Rowe died of cancer in Düsseldorf on 19 June 2023, at the age of 90.[https://www.tz.de/sport/mehr/tischtennis-legende-diane-schoeler-mit-90-jahren-gestorben-zr-92353857.html Tischtennis-Legende Diane Schöler mit 90 Jahren gestorben] {{in lang|de}}{{cite news |title=Diane Rowe obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diane-rowe-obituary-6362npzg2 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230717162347/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diane-rowe-obituary-6362npzg2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 July 2023 |access-date=18 July 2023 |publisher=The Times |date=18 July 2023}}{{cite news |title=Diane Rowe obituary |url=https://www.tabletennisengland.co.uk/obituary-diane-scholer-legend-of-the-sport/ |access-date=4 April 2024 |publisher=Table Tennis England |date=20 June 2023}}