Paralympic table tennis player 'amazed' at award win

Will Bayley celebrates during the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Paralympic table tennis star Will Bayley has said he was delighted to be named male para player of the year.

The 36-year-old won the title at the International Table Tennis Federation Awards held in Busan, South Korea.

Bayley, who was born with arthrogryposis which affects the movement of all four limbs, said he had not lost a match in the men's class 7 event since 2021.

The Sheffield-based athlete said winning the title was "amazing".

Speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield, he said: "It's amazing because there are so many amazing players, to get actually the best player of everyone is special.

"I'll probably never win it again."

Bayley won gold at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Games in Rio de Janeiro and claimed individual and team silver at the rearranged Tokyo Games in 2021.

This happened right after he recovered from a serious injury sustained while competing in TV show Strictly Come Dancing in 2019.

Bayley, who was diagnosed with cancer when he was seven, said: "I think life is about setbacks and how you bounce back from these things, it's made me who I am."

Looking ahead, Bayley, originally from Kent, said he was now looking forward to the Paralympic Games in Paris later this year.