Paul Karabardak

Table Tennis

Region

Swansea
Date of Birth

02/10/1985
Classification

Class 6 singles, class 14 doubles

Bio

Paris 2024 will be Paul’s fifth Paralympic Games after first making his debut at Beijing 2008.

Paired up with Billy Shilton in the Men’s Doubles MD14 event, the duo took home the bronze medal after missing out on the gold medal match after a close fought match against the number seeds.

Paul won his first Paralympic medals at his fourth Paralympic Games in Tokyo, taking bronze in the men’s class 6 singles and then combining with old team partner Will Bayley to take silver in the men’s class 6-7 team event.

He has won many medals at World and European level, but in 2022, he became world champion for the first time when winning gold in the men’s class 14 doubles with a new partner in Billy Shilton.

Welshman Paul was a keen footballer until he suffered a significant stroke at the age of ten and was subsequently introduced to table tennis at a local disabled youth club. Not only did table tennis provide him with a new sport but it also proved to be an important part of his rehabilitation.

The Swansea City football fan has been a mainstay of the British team from the age of 16 where he won a team bronze medal at the 2001 European Championships, originally as a Class 7 athlete, where he won a handful of European silvers and world bronzes alongside Bayley in team events. Now a Class 6 athlete, his most recent success was winning gold at the 2023 Polish Open.

Career Highlights

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Doubles - MD14: Bronze

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Team - Class 6-7: Silver
Singles - Class 6: Bronze

2022 World Championships, Spain

Team - Class 6-7: Gold

2019 European Championships, Sweden

Team - Class 6-7: Gold

2017 European Championships, Lasko, Slovenia

Team - Class 6-7: Gold

2015 European Championships, Vejle, Denmark

Singles - Class 6: Silver
Team - Class 6-7: Bronze

2014 World Championships, Beijing, China

Team - Class 6-7: Bronze

2013 European Championships, Lignano, Italy

Team - Class 7: Bronze

2011 European Championships, Split, Croatia

Team - Class 7: Bronze

2009 European Championships, Genoa, Italy

Singles - Class 7: Bronze

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