Debutants Turning into Historical Champions in Table Tennis at Paris 2024

Twenty athletes with an intellectual impairment, equally split between men and women, took to the French capital to compete for the coveted Paralympic medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Among them, three debutants not only claimed their first Paralympic medals but also scripted history with their performances.

1. Wada Natsuki (JPN): Wins Japan’s first Gold medal 

Wada Natsuki, hailing from Osaka, Japan, made history by winning her country’s first-ever gold in Para Table Tennis at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Fulfilling her vision shared with Virtus before the Paris 2024, wish to win the gold medal, she triumphed over Tokyo 2020 champion Elena Prokofeva (NPA) in the Class 11 singles final, marking her first Paralympic medal.

Natsuki’s journey wasn’t easy—she faced bullying and ridicule during her school years due to her intellectual impairment. Remarkably, she only started playing table tennis four years ago as part of a weight loss routine. Her rise was swift, capturing gold at the 2022 Virtus Oceania Asia Games and later at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, making her a formidable force on the global stage.

To cope with her impairment, Natsuki developed a routine to keep her life organized, as any disruptions can upset her. She began playing table tennis just four years ago, initially as part of a weight-loss journey. After starting with swimming, she discovered a nearby table tennis facility and has since found a passion for the sport, which has led her to remarkable achievements.

Read more about her journey to the Paralympic Games here.

2. Acer Ebru (TUR): First medal from the C11 class for Turkey.

Acer Ebru in action and receiving her medal at Paris 2024. Photo Credit: ITTFHailing from the Mamak district of Ankara, Türkiye, Acer Ebru made history for both Türkiye and herself by securing a bronze in the Women’s II1 Singles, marking Turkey’s first-ever medal in Class 11 Paralympic events. Ebru earned her spot in Paris through a standout performance at the 2023 Virtus Global Games. She became the first Turkish athlete with an intellectual impairment to compete in the Para Table Tennis Class 11 category.

Acer’s passion for table tennis started in primary school when her mother enrolled her and her sister in lessons, and she quickly fell in love with the sport. Despite challenges in academics and feeling behind her peers due to her intellectual impairment, Acer found peace and success in table tennis. She expressed that life has been difficult, with others often struggling to understand the challenges faced by people with an intellectual impairment.

Through table tennis, Acer overcame many personal difficulties, finding peace and joy in the sport. Her consistent excellence in the Virtus European Regional Games, ITTF championships, and her victory at the 2023 Virtus Global Games have propelled her to the top, earning her the title of World No. 1 in the ITTF rankings.

Her career accolades include bronze at the gold at the 2023 Virtus Global games, Granada 2022 ITTF World Championship, gold at the 2022 Virtus European Games, and victories at Sheffield 2022, along with a silver at the 2019 Helsingborg European Championship and now,  silver from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Read more about her journey to the Paralympic Games here.

3. Chen Po-Yen (TPE): First C11 medal for Chinese Taipei

At just eighteen, Chen Po-Yen made a spectacular entrance onto the global stage with an outstanding Paralympic debut, winning silver at his first Paralympic Games in Paris 2024.

Po-Yen’s parents and older sister have been his unwavering supporters, helping him chase his dreams without allowing his intellectual impairment to limit his ambitions. In fact, it was his sister who first ignited his passion for table tennis, inspiring him from a young age as he watched her play from the sidelines.

His winning streak began at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games 2022, where he secured a gold in men’s singles and a silver in mixed doubles. Later at the 2023 Virtus Global Games in Vichy, this exceptional teenager earned his spot for Paris 2024 by triumphing in the II1 Men’s Singles event, and winning the silver at Paris 2024, solidifying his place as a rising star in para table tennis.

Read more about his journey to the Paralympic Games here.

These historic achievements by Natsuki, Ebru, and Po-Yen highlight the spirit and perseverance of athletes with intellectual impairments, making their Paris 2024 Paralympic debuts a shining moment for their nations and paving the way for young athletes with an intellectual impairment in their country and around the world.