Bly Twomey, 13, wins two Para-table tennis golds

Thirteen-year-old Bly Twomey wins gold for Great Britain at the ITTF Lignano Para Table Tennis Open

A 13-year-old Para-table tennis player has had an "unforgettable" six days, winning two gold medals and reaching a semi-final at major tournaments 6,000 miles apart.

Bly Twomey began her epic journey at the ITTF Lignano Masters Para Open in Italy, where she won a singles and a doubles title for Great Britain.

She then travelled halfway around the world to play in the Singapore Smash.

"It was an unforgettable experience," the Brighton schoolgirl said.

After impressing in the opening rounds of the women's singles class 7 in Singapore, she was beaten 3-2 in an epic five-set semi-final against the Netherlands' Kelly van Zon.

At 36, the world number one and three-time Paralympic champion was almost three times older than her young rival.

"After winning two gold medals in Italy last week, it really boosted my confidence. I was happy to play Kelly," said Twomey on Thursday, who was the youngest competitor at both tournaments.

"Although I didn't win, I learnt a lot, and I'm looking forward to going back home and improving and coming back stronger."

The teenager, who has cerebral palsy, claimed her second singles title in Italy last Friday after beating Sweden's Smilla Sand, 22, in another five-set final. She won her first at the French Para Table Tennis Open last November, eight months after her international debut at the age of 12.

Now ranked fifth in the world in class 7, Twomey trains with men's world number one and former GB Paralympic champion Will Bayley in Brighton, who also competed at the inaugural Para table tennis event in Singapore.

His Year 9 team-mate led 2-1 in Lignano before Sand levelled the match in the fourth set, but Twomey fought back and took control of the fifth in 11-4. In the earlier rounds, she had won every match without conceding a set.

Bly Twomey and Fliss Pickard (right) in action in the class 14 final at the ITTF Lignano Para Table Tennis Open

The trend continued in the final of the women's doubles class 14 at the event, which was her first tournament playing with GB team-mate Fliss Pickard from Burnley. They overpowered Romania's Camelia Ciripan and Gabriela Constantin 3-0 to win gold.

"It's incredible to play with Bly; what a fighter she is," said 29-year-old Pickard, who won silver in the singles class 6.

"It's been a fantastic first tournament together, and I feel we showed what we are capable of in the final."

Twomey discovered table tennis at a multi-sports day event in 2021. Nick Kreel from Brighton Table Tennis Club spotted the gifted player and invited her to a training session.

Just six months later she competed in the National Club League and within a year was selected for the British Para Table Tennis development squad and made her international debut in March 2023.

Paralympic 'dream'

The Cardinal Newman Catholic School pupil's goal now is to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games starting in August.

"It's all I've been dreaming of," she said. "It would mean a lot to go to Paris because I've only been playing for about two years, and I will still only be 14."

So far Bayley is the only athlete to have qualified for the GB team after he won gold in the men's class 7 singles at the European Championships in Sheffield last year.

The 36-year-old had to settle for silver in Singpore after he was beaten 3-2 in the men's singles class 7 final by Thailand's Chalermpong Punpoo, 32.

"I had a slow start in the final and didn't get going until the third set and left myself with lots to do," Bayley said.

"But I'll be back much stronger because of the result."