Sussex ace Bayley going for gold at Paris Paralympics

The Brighton table tennis player confidently beat the Netherlands' Jean Paul Montanus 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 to reach the showpiece event in what is set to be his fourth consecutive men's singles Paralympic final.

Now just one win away from reclaiming his 2016 Paralympic title, Bayley will face China's Yan Shuo, the very man who beat him to gold three years ago in Tokyo, in what is set to be a thrilling battle in Paris.

“I feel really focused," said Bayley, who is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games. "I’ve always wanted to come here and try and win the gold.

"When I got towards the end [of the semi-final], I wanted to keep as much energy as possible.

"I didn’t want to celebrate or enjoy myself too much because I’ve got a huge match ahead of me, it’s the biggest match of my career and I want to make sure I’m ready for that.”

Bayley has provided nothing but convincing victories on his journey to the final, losing only one set in a roaring singles campaign.

Shuo has not quite had the same dominating run, forced to battle through five sets against Thailand's Chalermpong Punpoo at the semi-final stage.

And after seen a successful change of results against Montanus in the past three years, with the Dutch player previously regarded as the favourite in a head-to-head, Bayley will now hope to replicate his picture-perfect semi-final performance and turn his Tokyo silver to gold in Paris.

“Montanus is probably one of the most dangerous players in the world for me to play because he’s one of the best," he said.

"I’ve been looking at his tactics for two or three years to try and beat him. I remember when we were going into matches and he was the favourite against me a few years ago.

" He is someone I’ve got a lot of respect for and I’m so pleased to deliver that game plan under that sort of pressure. Its not easy and I delivered it perfectly so I’m proud of myself.”

Meanwhile, Bly Twomey believes gold is in her very bright future as she won her second table tennis bronze of the Paralympic Games. The 14-year-old from Brighton saw a place in the women’s singles gold medal final slip from her grasp as she lost 3-2 to world champion Kubra Korkut of Turkey.

Twomey had held a 2-0 lead in the semi-final encounter before her opponent fought back, clinching the decider to confirm a second bronze for Twomey after also getting on the podium in the women’s doubles.

“I was 2-0 up, but I just fought through. She played really well and I’m disappointed that I lost but played so well,” said Twomey, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with ParalympicsGB, helping to maximise support and minimise potential distractions for athletes so that they can focus on their performance.

“I think the match changed because she just started playing better, she got used to the atmosphere and I think she played really well. It means a lot to win two bronze medals at my first Paralympic Games at the age of 14 and I’m really proud to represent my country and it has been an amazing experience.

“It gives me a lot of hope to know that I’m on the same level as them and to know that I’ve got a bronze medal. It gives me a lot of confidence because I think maybe I could get a gold in the future.”

In an atmosphere you would more expect to find at the Amex than a table tennis hall, dozens of Twomey’s family, friends and members of Brighton Table Tennis Club made themselves heard.

‘Allez, allez, allez, Bly, Bly, Bly’ rang out around the South Paris Arena as the teenager thrived with the crowd’s support, taking the first game at the fourth time of asking. She added: “Brighton Table Tennis club have done a lot for me; they’ve been an amazing part of my experience. Without them, I couldn’t have achieved any of this.

“I think the crowd have supported me so much and all of them were there for me and I’m so thankful for that.”

The youngster finally acknowledged the cheers of the crowd with a fist pump as she won eight straight points for game point and then a 2-0 lead.

Korkut, who at 30 is over double Twomey’s age, won medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo five years later, the first of which when Twomey was just six years old.

Despite her experience, she took time to settle against the noise of the Twomey faithful, who cheered her on to the end as Korkut took the match with three straight games.

Twomey will have some time to enjoy her Paralympic experience before heading back to Cardinal Newman Catholic School with confidence she was lacking only a few years ago.

She added: “I think they’re going to be really supportive and really nice to me. I think they’re going to celebrate my bronze medals and be an amazing school.

“When I first started table tennis, I wasn’t confident at all, and I couldn’t really go places or big crowds because I was afraid that people might get rid of me because of

my disability.

“But now I’m here, everyone has a disability and I’m really grateful to play table tennis with people with the same disability as me.”

National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for Good Causes including vital funding into sport – from grassroots to elite. To find out more visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk