Teenager Twomey and Davies take European singles gold in Sweden

It was a triumph for youth and experience for the British team on the fourth day at the ITTF European Para Table Tennis Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden with 15-year-old Bly Twomey winning her first major title in the women’s class 7 singles and Welshman Rob Davies winning his fifth European singles title in men’s class 1. Grace Williams also took silver in the women’s class 8 singles, taking the team’s medal tally in the singles events to nine with Tom Matthews (men’s class 1), Chris Ryan (men’s class 2), Martin Perry (men’s class 6), Theo Bishop (men’s class 7), Billy Shilton (men’s class 8) and Fliss Pickard (women’s class 6) all securing bronze medals yesterday.

Women’s class 7
Bly Twomey was competing in her first major final and faced the World champion and defending European champion Kubra Korkut, the 31-year-old from Turkey who made her international debut three years before Twomey was born. Twomey led 2-0 in their Paralympic semi-final last year before Korkut came back to win 3-2 and although Twomey had gained her revenge twice in Slovenia earlier this year Korkut had won their most recent encounter in France last month.

The first set was nip and tuck, but Twomey won it 11-9 and then took the second 11-5 to lead 2-0. This time Korkut had no answer to the brilliant play from her young opponent and Twomey raced through the third set and let out a roar of triumph as she clinched it 11-3 to take the match 3-0 and European gold.

It was a performance of astonishing maturity by the Brighton teenager, whose preparation for the tournament had been combined with sitting her mock GCSE exams.

“I can’t really explain how I feel,” said Twomey. “It’s such a surreal moment - it was my first major final and to get there at such a young age is incredible and I couldn’t ask for more. Having all the support from British Para Table Tennis and Brighton Table Tennis Club is why I won – without them I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today so having them by my side and knowing they’re there for me when I need them is great.”

Having experienced Korkut’s fighting qualities Twomey admitted that she kept her nerve during the match by telling herself she wasn’t going to win.

“I think it was really important to win the first set just to take the pressure off,” she said. “Over the course of my matches with Kubra normally I’m 2-0 up and she makes a comeback, so in the third set I was telling myself, ‘you’re not going to win this’ and then hopefully I will win and it worked. I think I worked out what she was doing and played the shots I should at the right moment. Andrew (head coach Andrew Rushton) was really helpful and encouraged me to just keep fighting even though I was down a bit in the first set.

“In the early matches I felt the pressure of getting to the final, so I didn’t play very well but in this final I was really up for it. I knew the least I could get was silver and that would be incredible so I’m just really proud of getting gold and showing people that I can do that.”

Men’s class 1
Rob Davies narrowly missed out on a fifth European title at the European Championships in 2023 losing a very close final to the Hungarian Endre Major and took silver again in last year’s Paralympic Games in Paris. The Welshman came into these Championships in great form having won gold in France last month but lost a very close match to today’s opponent Federico Falco in the group stages two days ago. He started well today, taking the first set 11-7 and then took the third 11-6 after the Paralympic bronze medallist from Italy had levelled at 1-1. The fourth set was a rollercoaster with Davies fighting back from 8-3 down to level at 8-8. Falco saved a match point at 10-9 down and then had two set points saved before Davies clinched the set 14-12 and the match 3-1 with a backhand winner.

“It feels pretty good to be European champion again,” he said. “It’s taken a lot to get to this stage to try and perform again at the top level, when you’re in those finals winning those close matches and remembering how to do it again. I don’t think I’ve ever lost in the group and won gold before so to lose to Falco in the group and then beat him in the final when it was most important, I’m really chuffed. Tom (Matthews) and I had to play in the semi-final which was a bit gutting that we couldn’t meet in the final. Thank you to Tom for the support and pushing me week in week out.

“Having lost in the group match gave us a good game plan to work off – sometimes that works in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t, but I managed to keep my head and not get too nervous. Nerves were there all the way along, but you just try and focus on the next point, try not to be too shaky and try and play your best in that moment. Luckily I could – some of the shots he played were unbelievable and he pushed me all the way and I’m just pleased that I got the gold.”

It was the Rio 2016 Paralympic champion’s first major title since he won his fourth consecutive European gold in 2019, and he proved once again that he thrives on the big occasion.

“I do like playing on the big stage,” said Davies. “I like the build-up and having a target that you want to be at your best for. I’ve got to say a huge thank you to my coach Nathan Thomas – he’s been massive for me for the last six years. I’ve been struggling with my mental health and the different changes within our sport and Nathan has been there every step of the way with me. He’s been my psychologist sometimes and really cheered me up when I’ve needed it. I probably would have finished if it wasn’t for him.

“There are so many people I need to thank – Neil Robinson, my friends and family, my PA Lewis who has been a legend over the last few years – without them I wouldn’t be able to come here and compete. It’s huge to be able to come back at my age and win another title – I’m really chuffed that I could get to that level again. I’ll keep going, keep pushing on. It’s the World Championships next year so I’ll look forward to that and try to push myself even more.”

Women’s class 8
Grace Williams announced herself on the international stage by taking silver in the women’s class 8 singles at the European Championships in 2023 and since then has established herself in the world’s top 10. She had never beaten Juliane Wolf and the 37-year-old German, Paralympic bronze medallist in Paris last year, used her greater experience to edge a tight first set 13-11. That proved crucial as it gave the World number six the momentum and she took the second set 11-5 and the third 11-6 to win 3-0 and take the gold.

“We’ve played each other a few times now,” said Williams, “and we knew going into the match that whoever won that first set had the momentum to then get the next set. She was a bit better than me and did what she had to do. She just caught me out a few times but I’m still proud of myself and I’ll get there one day.”

Williams, 22, from Llanfyllin but based in Sheffield, has once again shown that she has the talent to compete with the very best at a major championship.

“This is the one tournament where I’ve felt the most nerves and the most anxious,” she admitted, “so the fact that I still managed to compete at this level feeling like that - I know I can take confidence from that into other tournaments going forward. I’ve had a really good season in regard to winning medals but getting to the final at a major is a bit special. I’m glad that I’ve done it twice now and hopefully in two years’ time I can get the gold.”

The tournament continues with the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles events that conclude on Tuesday.

PHOTOS: ITTF/Manfred Schillings