After reporting on the achievements of our Asian Aussie Para-Swimmers, there is more awesome news. Our Asian Aussies who competed in the Para-Table Tennis won GOLD and SILVER medals.
Li Na Lei and Qian Yang made Australian Para-table tennis history by taking home two gold medals in the Women’s Singles class 9 and class 10, respectively. The last time any Aussie took home Gold Medals at a Paralympics was at the New York 1984 Paralympics with Terry Biggs.
Lei told Paralympics Australia how elated she was to win and be part of making history:
“It was great to have the team behind me, they’re like family and the cheers were really useful for me. We have plenty of support, also from the coaches. All those things are very important and really help.”
Yang mentioned how anxious she was and how the win was unexpected:
“I was pretty tight at the start,”
“I was too anxious. She put me in an uncomfortable position. I was trailing a lot and I wasn’t anticipating it.”
In another awesome achievement Ma Lin has won a SILVER MEDAL for the Men’s Class 9 Singles Final. How life story is one of misfortune with his right arm being bit off by a bear at a zoo in China when he was just 5 years old. Now he is one of the best Para-Table Tennis players in the world and still young has won his first SILVER at a big international competition.
The Tokyo 202 Paralympics is the biggest medal haul for Para-Table Tennis with 2 Gold and 2 Silver – 3 of them won by our talented Asian Aussies!
Congratulations to all!~
Images via Paralympics Australia and Perth Now