Sheffield part of UK bid to host 2023 European Para Table Tennis Championships

The English Institute of Sport, which is also the training base for the British Para Table Tennis (BPTT) Team, has been chosen as a tournament venue, if the UK Sport-backed bid is successful.

It comes as Sheffield-based athlete Jack Hunter-Spivey qualified for this summer’s Paralympic Games in the men’s class 5 along with Barnsley’s Susan Gilroy, a five-time Paralympian who competes in the women’s class 4.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, executive member for City Futures, Development, Culture, Regeneration said: "Sheffield promotes inclusivity in sport at every opportunity so we are really proud to be working with British Para Table Tennis as the host city for this bidding process.

"As the training base for the British Para Table Tennis Team, and a host city for major international sporting events in 2021 and 2022, we are well equipped to represent our nation in delivering a fantastic tournament that will inspire others, raise the profile of the sport and increase participation. We look forward to progressing the bid further and demonstrating why Sheffield is the perfect host."

Sheffield will host nine matches at the Rugby League World Cup this autumn as well as three group games and a semi-final at next summer’s Women’s Euro 2022.

Table Tennis England chief executive, Sara Sutcliffe MBE, said: "We're delighted to be working with BPTT on the bid to host the European Para Championships in Sheffield in 2023.

"Not only is it a great opportunity for the Para players a year before the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games but it is also an important part of our wider strategy to bring international table tennis back to England. Hosting such an event helps inspire the next generation of players and provides fantastic opportunities for our officials and volunteers to get involved."

Sheffield’s table tennis star-turned-NHS hero Kim Daybell faces an anxious wait to find out whether he will be awarded a wild card for Tokyo after he lost in the quarter-final at the Paralympic table tennis World Qualification Tournament in Lasko, Slovenia.