British Para table tennis Pathway athlete Shae Thakker Clinches Gold at 2024 SQY French Para Open
Thakker’s Triumph in Men’s Class 10 Singles
21-year-old Shae Thakker, a student at the University of Sheffield, overcame an early setback to secure his first gold medal for Great Britain in the men’s class 10 singles at the 2024 SQY French Para Open in Voisins les Bretonneux, France.
After losing 3-0 to 16-year-old Marlon Lopez from Spain in his group, Thakker found his stride, defeating Yann Yi Ming Gores 3-0 in the quarterfinals and then edging past world number 12 Pawel Wlodyka of Poland 3-2 in the semifinals. In the final, Thakker faced Marat Surtubayev, a 52-year-old newcomer from Kazakhstan. Thakker took a 2-0 lead, but Surtubayev fought back to level the match at 2-2. In a nail-biting deciding set, Thakker prevailed 15-13, saving four match points in the process.
“I’m very proud to win my first gold medal for GB,” said Thakker. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming, and I’m so happy to finally have achieved this. Although I didn’t start the tournament in the best way, I managed to reset well and regain my confidence, which proved crucial in the final.”
Chris Ryan Takes Silver, Max Flint Secures Bronze
In the men’s class 1-2 event, Chris Ryan, who led the GB wheelchair rugby team to gold in Tokyo, faced a tough challenge against the experienced Tomasz Jakimczuk, the world and European doubles bronze medalist from Poland. After dropping the first two sets, Ryan fought back to level the match at 2-2, saving two match points in the process. However, Jakimczuk prevailed in the deciding set, winning 15-13 to claim the gold medal.
“I’m pleased with how I played today,” said Ryan. “The first two games, I was a lot more focused and locked in compared to yesterday, and I’m proud of the fight back in the final. Disappointing to lose after having match points, but I think the progression I’ve shown is evident, as I struggled against him last time.”
The British squad also saw promising performances from Max Flint, who took bronze in the men’s class 10 event, and Jacob Wicks and Theo Bishop, who both reached the quarterfinals in their respective classes.
The SQY French Para Open continues with the doubles events, which will conclude tomorrow.
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