Paul Karabardak

Table Tennis

Region

Swansea
Date of Birth

02/10/1985
Classification

Men’s class 6 singles & men’s class 6-7 team

Bio

Paul was a keen footballer until he suffered a massive stroke at the age of ten and was subsequently introduced to table tennis at a local disabled youth club. Within two years he was playing for the local Swansea League before being selected to play for the GB Para Table Tennis Team at the age of 15 in the European Championships, winning a team bronze medal.

In a 20-year career he has won team medals with Will Bayley at World and European level as a class 7 athlete and since being reclassified as a class 6 in 2015 he has won European singles bronze in 2015, European team gold in 2017 and 2019 and World team bronze in 2017.

Paul excelled at Tokyo 2020 winning a silver in the doubles with Will Bayley and a bronze in the class 6 singles to win his first Paralympic medals.

Paul is in no doubt what sport brings to his life. “It gives you a chance to see the world, make amazing friends and be the absolute best you can be. Our disability is the shackles and chains that imprison us; sport is what sets us free.”

Career Highlights

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

men’s doubles (class 7) Silver
Singles (class 6) Bronze

2019: European Championships, Sweden – gold, men’s teams (class 6)

2017 Belgian Open – gold, men’s singles (class 6)

European Championships, Lasko, Slovenia – gold, men’s teams (class 6)

World Team Championships, Slovakia – bronze, men’s class 6

2015: European Championships, Vejle, Denmark - bronze, men’s singles (class 6); silver, men’s teams (class 6)

Slovenia Open - gold, men’s singles (class 6)

Hungarian Open - gold, men’s singles (class 6); gold, men’s teams (class 6-7)

2014: World Championships, Beijing, China - bronze medal, men’s teams (class 6-7)

Slovenia Open - gold, men’s teams (class 7)

2013: US Open, San Diego - gold, men’s singles (class 7); gold, men’s teams (class 6-7)

European Championships, Lignano, Italy - bronze, men’s teams (class 7)

2011: European Championships, Split, Croatia - silver, men’s teams (class 7)

2009: European Championships, Genoa, Italy - bronze, men’s singles (class 7)

2001: European Championships, Frankfurt, Germany - bronze, men’s teams (class 7)

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