Paul Karabardak

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.”

In 2022, he became a world champion again with gold in the Class 6-7 Team event in Spain.

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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