Polish table tennis legend Natalia Partyka enters her sixth Paralympic Games aiming for a fifth successive table tennis singles title at Tokyo 2020.
Following her wins at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, the seven-time world champion is one of five women with eight Paralympic table tennis medals. Only one woman, China’s Zhang Xiaoling, with nine, has claimed more.
At the last two editions of the Paralympic Games, the seven-time world champion defeated Tapper in singles. Partyka is one of five women with eight Paralympic table tennis medals.
Partyka’s Paralympic career began at Sydney 2000 where she became the youngest ever Paralympian at the age of 11. Four years later, in Athens, she was victorious in the class 10 singles. She also won medals in the classes 6-10 team competitions at Athens, Beijing and London, before adding gold in that event in Rio.
‘Everyone expects me to win easily, but it’s not that easy anymore because players are better and better and I’m older and older’, said the 32-year-old athlete.
Partyka and Tapper share something else in common: they both competed in the Olympic Games and the Paralympics. In total, only 15 athletes have done so.
“Every time is always different. Every time it’s like a new story, a new competition and everything is totally different. So it feels like the first time. When I went for my first Paralympics I was just a kid – 11 years old. I was a small girl and everything was new and it was a great experience. But after that, every time I was a much better player. I was improving year by year, I was better and better in table tennis.” said Partyka
