Thiago Gomas And Peter Palos Qualifies for Men’s Class 11 Quarterfinals at Paris 2024
Table tennis Round of 16 matches for both Class 11 Men’s and Women’s were underway at the South Paris Arena 1 today.
GOMES Thiago (BRA) took on ABDALLA Abdelrahman (EGY) in a commanding first match at the Paralympics. The Santiago 2023 champion set the tone early, winning the first game 11-8, and continued to dominate with 11-4 and 11-6 victories, securing a 3-0 win.
Thiago Gomes. Photo Credit: Camila Nakazato/Olimpíada Todo Dia
In an interview with Virtus Sport, Thiago shared his nerves about competing in his first Paralympic Games.
“I’m very happy and grateful to be playing here, but I wasn’t completely satisfied with my performance. I felt a bit nervous and sometimes frozen. I couldn’t enjoy it as much because I was so focused on winning. But it’s my first Paralympic match, so I think that’s normal. I just hope everything goes well in the next rounds.”
Thiago revealed that listening to music helps him stay focused before matches and that he’s determined to give his best, regardless of the opponent. He also shared a special routine: “I always write my daughter’s name on my wrist so I remember why I’m playing before I go into the match.”
Reflecting on the experience, he added, “The atmosphere here is so different from Santiago 2023, and I’m loving it. I’m here to enjoy my first Paralympic Games.”
LEUNG Chung Yan (HKG) faced off against PALOS Peter (HUN), a three-time Paralympic Gold medalist with victories in Tokyo 2020, London 2012, and Athens 2004, and a bronze from Rio 2016.
Although the Hungarian star faced a little resilience from his opponent, he won the match by 3-1 (11-6, 8-11, 11-6,11-6).
Peter Palos at the Paris 2024 quarterfinal match. Photo Credit: ITTF
“He was a bit nervous at the start. After winning the first set, he lost the second, which shook his confidence. However, he regained his composure, won the third set, and ultimately made it to the finals,” Peter’s coach shared with Virtus. Despite being pleased with the win, Peter wasn’t fully satisfied with his performance.
Reflecting on the stadium’s atmosphere, Peter admitted to feeling mixed emotions.
“The ambience here is amazing; the crowd’s energy made it clear how important this event is, unlike Tokyo where the stadium was empty. But there were moments when the noise, especially from supporters of an Irish player at another table, made it hard to concentrate.”
Meanwhile, Chung Yan, despite losing and not advancing to the quarterfinals, cherished the experience.
“This is my first Paralympic Games, and I’m very happy to be here representing my country. Playing against a champion like Peter was an honour, and I’ve learned a lot from this match. I’ll prepare to make a stronger comeback for LA2028.”
Other competitors, including Samuel Von Einem (AUS), Takemori Takeshi (JPN), Kim Gi Tae (KOR), Creange Lucas (FRA), Chen Po Yen (TPE), and Acker Florian (BEL), received byes and are set to compete in the quarterfinals on September 4th.
