The landscape of Para table tennis is evolving, with fresh contenders emerging in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Recent performances suggest we may see new names etched onto the roll of honour in both the men’s and women’s singles events.
In the men’s singles, Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ming-Chieh (pictured above) and France’s Clément Berthier are strong contenders. Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Great Britain’s Megan Shackleton, Iraq’s Najlah Al-Dayyeni, and Japan’s Kanami Furukawa are athletes to watch closely.
Cheng Ming-Chieh tops the list. Competing in class 5, Cheng has achieved a remarkable record in 2024, winning six men’s singles titles in as many months. His victories span across the United States, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, and Chinese Taipei. Paris will mark Cheng’s Paralympic Games debut, and his flawless record makes him a strong favourite.
Clément Berthier, competing in class 8, brings a different kind of experience. He was a bronze medallist in the men’s team class 8 event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, alongside Thomas Bouvais. However, his men’s singles campaign in Tokyo ended in the group stage, with defeats by China’s Peng Weinan and Great Britain’s Ross Wilson. This year, Berthier has shown significant improvement, securing titles in Egypt, Brazil, Montenegro, and Slovenia.
Berthier could also make waves in the men’s doubles. Partnering with Esteban Herrault in class 14, the duo has consistently challenged for top honours, winning in Montenegro and finishing as runners-up in Egypt, Italy, and Slovenia.
On the women’s side, Kanami Furukawa faced a tough challenge in Tokyo, finishing third in her women’s singles class 11 group. She defeated Ukraine’s Natalia Kosmina but was outplayed by Hong Kong’s Wong Ting Ting and France’s Léa Ferney, who went on to claim silver and later the World Championship title. Furukawa has since found her stride, winning titles in France in 2023 and Egypt, Italy, Montenegro, and Slovenia in 2024.
Similarly, Najlah Al-Dayyeni, competing in women’s singles class 6, endured a difficult campaign in Tokyo, where she failed to secure a win in her group. However, she has since turned things around, winning titles in Jordan, China, and Korea Republic in 2023. Notably, she defeated Ukraine’s Maryna Lytovchenko, the reigning Paralympic, World, and European champion, in the final in Egypt earlier this year. Although Lytovchenko reversed the result in their June encounter in Slovenia, Al-Dayyeni’s improvement is undeniable.
Megan Shackleton of Great Britain (pictured above) is another athlete whose Tokyo experience may prove invaluable. Shackleton won bronze in the women’s team class 4-5 event in Tokyo, partnering with Sue Bailey. However, in the women’s singles class 4, she faced an extremely challenging group stage, losing to China’s Zhou Ying and India’s Bhavina Patel, who claimed gold and silver, respectively. In 2024, Shackleton has reached five women’s singles finals, winning titles in the United States, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Poland, and finishing as runner-up in the Czech Republic.
These athletes are strong contenders for medals in Paris. Their recent performances indicate that we may witness landmark victories at the upcoming Paralympic Games. Keep an eye on these names as they aim for glory on the global stage, and don’t miss out on the action by securing your tickets here.
