The Lignano Masters Para Open in Italy following week (March 15-18) is the beginning of Paralympic credentials for 9 participants of the British Para Table Tennis Team Performance Squad, consisting of globe champs Fliss Pickard and also Billy Shilton, Rio Paralympic champ Rob Davies, Tokyo medallists Megan Shackleton, Jack Hunter-Spivey and also Tom Matthews and also World Championship medallists Aaron McKibbin and also Martin Perry.
Shilton took gold with Paul Karabardak in the guys’s course 14 increases at the World Championships in Spain last November (see photo over) and also having actually gotten to a profession high of globe No 7 in guys’s course 8 is wanting to combine his increases type in songs this year.
“It was an amazing moment for me and Paul to become world champions,” claimed the 24-year-old from Stonehouse in Gloucestershire, “and also I have actually made use of that as inspiration for my training over the winter months, specifically as I was a little bit dissatisfied with my songs efficiency which has actually truly pressed meon
“Being globe champ has actually provided me the idea that I can do it and also I wish to bring that right into my songs much more. I had a number of excellent victories in 2014 that obtained me over the line in getting approved for the Worlds and also I really feel quite certain concerningItaly
“I’ve always focused more on playing well than results – I just want to play the best I can and play my game and I know that is good enough to beat anyone. If I can focus on that and not let the pressure of qualification overrun my thoughts, I think I’ll have a good season.”
After winning group medals at Paralympic, globe and also European degree McKibbin won his very first significant songs medal when taking bronze in the guys’s course 8 songs at the World Championships and also has actually likewise gotten to a profession high position of globe No 4. The 31-year-old Londoner, currently based in Epsom, is targeting an additional songs medal in Paris.
“I’m obviously very proud to have won my first major singles medal,” he claimed, “and also I understand it is a great accomplishment, yet it reveals where I think I am that I’m not pleased with the outcome. Five or 6 years ago I would certainly have mored than the moon with it, yet over the last number of years my degree has actually been enhancing and also I’m going for larger points currently and also I think I have actually obtained the capacity to go better.
” I deal with every competition as crucial and also I wish to win every little thing I play in. I have actually obtained a wonderful chance in Italy– with my position I’ll be among the leading 3 seeds and also I’ll need to obtain made use of to that and also it will certainly place me healthy for theEuropeans
“I‘ve played a lot of domestic competitions like British League and Grand Prix since the World Championships which is quite unique for me as normally I would just have been training through the winter so I actually feel quite match sharp already and I’m looking forward to Italy.”
Having obtained a wildcard to contend in the World Championships, Perry generated the efficiency of his life to take bronze in the guys’s course 6 songs. The 28-year-old from Paisley is currently concentrated on credentials for his very first Paralympic Games in Paris and also settling his setting on the planet’s leading 10 for the very first time.
“I went to the World Championships with something to prove,” he claimed, “which efficiency was absolutely a tipping rock for me to ideally go on and also do also much better points in the future. Training has actually been excellent and also I’m truly eagerly anticipating playing Italy– I feel I have actually enhanced and also ideally I can reveal that on the table. Ultimately there are not mosting likely to be any kind of very easy suits this year as a result of what it suggests to everybody attempting to receive Paris.
“There is constantly stress to certify which hasn’t altered. We do not understand the requirements yet– I’m number 10 on the planet yet regarding I understand that might not suffice to certify so we need to take every suit as it comes and also not take anything for approved.
“I don’t want to be content with 10 in the world – I want to be higher. The World Championships has definitely given me confidence and self-belief, but I want to improve and win more medals and of course I want to be representing ParalympicsGB in Paris – that’s the goal and hopefully I can get off to a good start in Italy.”
Welshman Matthews took bronze in the guys’s course 1 songs on his Paralympic launching in Tokyo and also was bitterly dissatisfied to shed a really close quarterfinal at the World Championships to the globe No 1 and also Paralympic champ Joo Young Dae from Korea.
“It has motivated me massively over the winter,” confessed the 30-year-old fromAberdare “I have actually viewed the video from the Worlds with my train Neil (Robinson) which has actually been hard since it was a bitter tablet to ingest. Looking back at that video game it was so close yet following time I’ll have him. It was difficult to obtain him in the quarterfinals yet that was as a result of my seeding so I require to enhance my position and also ideally see him in the last following time.
“I’m out to prove a point this year. It is massively important for seedings at the majors to be more consistent at the smaller tournaments. I’ve always done well at the majors but it is the smaller tournaments where I need to start putting players away and winning them to be honest, starting in Italy.”
The team is finished by Ashley Facey, completing in his very first competition given that Tokyo, Pathway gamers Theo Bishop and also Romain Simon, and also self-funded professional athlete Simon Heaps.
