World Para Table Tennis Championships Britons Paul Karabardak And Billy Shilton Win Gold

At the World Para Table Tennis Championships in Andalucia, British players Paul Karabardak and Billy Shilton won the men’s class 14 doubles event.

The Thai duo of Rungroj Thainiyom and Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri were defeated by Karabardak and Shilton in four sets to win the tournament in only their second tournament together.

In the men’s class 18 doubles, Ross Wilson and Joshua Stacey won silver.

Shilton and Fliss Pickard will win the mixed class 14 doubles bronze medal.

Tuesday’s women’s class 14 doubles final will feature Pickard and Welsh teen Grace Williams vying for the gold.

After a third-set defeat in which they only managed to win one point, Karabardak and Shilton recovered to win 3-1.

“What a feeling. It is something I’ve thought about every day when I’m in the hall, something I wanted to do as a kid and to do it for the first time with Paul is so special,” said Shilton.

Two-time Paralympic medallist Karabardak said: “I’ve achieved a lot in my career, and Tokyo was obviously particularly memorable and will be hard to top, but becoming world champion here is among the best things I’ve ever accomplished. It is made even more memorable by doing it with a great doubles player like Billy, who is also a good friend.”

Wilson and Stacey were defeated 3-0 by Lev Kats and Ivan Mai of Ukraine, losing the gold medal competition.

Shilton and Pickard, who took home the bronze medal, were defeated by Dutch opponents Jean-paul Montanus and Kelly Van Zon 3-0 in the semifinals.

Reference: https://www.bbc.com/sport/disability-sport/63550618