Table Tennis Stars Aim for Paralympic Qualification in Pattaya
With only 100 days until the start of the table tennis events at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the focus now shifts to the upcoming World Qualification tournament in Pattaya, Thailand from May 23-25. This high-stakes event will determine the final spots for the prestigious Paralympic competition.
Seasoned Veterans and Rising Stars
The entry list for Pattaya is a testament to the remarkable progress made in para table tennis in recent years. Seasoned veterans like the Czech Republic’s Ivan Karabec, who won gold in the men’s singles class 10 at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, will be vying to secure their place in Paris. Meanwhile, Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Chris Ryan, who previously captained the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team to the top prize, has now set his sights on table tennis success.
The British contingent is further bolstered by the presence of silver medalist Tom Matthews (class 1) and bronze medalist Jack Hunter Spivey (class 5), both aiming to build on their recent achievements. Other players to watch include Frenchman Sylvan Noel (class 3), who won in Kazakhstan in March, and Slovakia’s Peter Mihalik (class 4), who was the runner-up in Egypt earlier this year.
Standing Classes Equally Stacked
The standing classes are equally stacked with talent, with Chile’s Matias Pino (class 6), independent athlete Iurii Nozdrunov (class 9), and Poland’s Maciej Makajew (class 11) all boasting recent tournament wins. Experienced campaigners like Hungary’s Andras Csonka (class 8), a silver medalist at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, will also be in the running.
Fierce Competition in Women’s Singles
In the women’s singles events, independent athletes Nadejda Pushpasheva (class 2) and Elena Litvinenko (class 8), both gold medalists earlier this year, will be among the favorites. Iraq’s Hadeel Al-Waeli (class 3), Great Britain’s Megan Shackleton (class 4), and Israel’s Caroline Tabib (class 5) will also be looking to secure their Paralympic berths.
“With a host of other notable names, including Romania’s Camelia Ciripan (class 6), Argentina’s Gizelle Muñoz (class 7), and Japan’s Nozomi Nakamura (class 10), the World Qualification tournament in Pattaya promises to be a thrilling and intensely competitive event that will determine the final Paralympic table tennis lineups.”
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