Slovakia’s Jan Riapos, a true legend in Para table tennis and a recent inductee into Club 8, has done it again—adding a fifth Paralympic gold to his collection. By winning gold in the Class 4 Men’s Doubles, Riapos has cemented his status as the one of the only players to have won Paralympic gold in Team, Singles, and Doubles events, and the only Para table tennis athlete to clinch Paralympic gold medals across three different decades.

Teaming up with Peter Lovas, who is making his Paralympic debut, the Slovakian duo dominated Korea’s Hang Yeongjin and Park Sung Joo, securing a 3-1 victory (12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8) in the Class 4 Men’s Doubles.

“I feel incredible, I can’t describe how I feel. This is my first Paralympic Games and we won the gold medal, so it is absolutely amazing, and I feel great,” Peter Lovas.

This win was a culmination of strategy, skill, and experience.

“The doubles is a totally different game than the singles. I am probably the first player that has a gold from Singles, Teams, and Doubles. This is a great achievement for me.” Jan Riapos

“We spent a lot of time preparing for this. We played a lot together, and I tried to hand over to Peter everything I know. This seemed to be a good tactic, as it showed in the quarter and semifinals. My experience was invaluable, especially in these heavy and long matches.” Jan Riapos

Despite his unparalleled achievements, Riapos’s true passion lies beyond personal accolades—it’s about the growth and development of Paralympic sport.

“I am a sportsman, but my heart and soul are dedicated to developing opportunities for handicapped people in Slovakia. These Games in Paris have been perfect. Now I see that the Paralympic movement is evolving from amateur to more professional.” Jan Riapos.

Both Lovas and Riapos will be back in action in the Class 2 Mens Singles starting Sunday 1st September.