Comments from ParalympicsGB’s Para Table Tennis players after the evening session.
Fliss Pickard and 14-year-old Bly Twomey won bronze in the Class 14 women’s doubles, while three pairs are through to the quarter-finals across the men’s and mixed doubles.
Fliss Pickard and Bly Twomey were beaten 3-1 by China’s Huang Wenjuan and Jin Yucheng in the WD14 semi-final, confirming themselves as bronze medallists. Twomey is in XD17 mixed doubles quarter-final action alongside Joshua Stacey on Friday morning (11:00 CET)
Name: Fliss Pickard
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 30
Hometown: Burnley
On winning bronze
“It’s an unbelievable feeling, especially to be joining this little legend on the podium. I couldn’t have done it without her and our coach in the corner Andrew Rushton. We’ve been on some journey together and to get a bronze medal together is just fantastic.”
On her partnership with Bly:
“You would think we’ve been playing together quite a while but it really hasn’t been that long. We are both fighters and both winners and natural competitors. Off the table we have great fun together so it is just incredible to play with her.”
On Bly, who is only 14:
“The talent she shows is just incredible, she has really pushed me on to new levels within table tennis and she pushes me on to new levels. She doesn’t realise she is doing it but that’s why I am here today and at the level I am at.”
On twice missing out on selection for the Paralympic Games:
“It’s been a long journey, but how can you say it isn’t worth all the lows, I have been through and I know there is a lot more to come now, especially with this little fighter.”
Name: Bly Twomey
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 14
Hometown: Brighton
On winning bronze:
“It’s amazing because I am so young. I wouldn’t have done this without Fliss so I am really proud to have her by my side.
“It feels amazing, the atmosphere is just incredible and I am just really proud of myself. “I’m really proud to get a medal at my first Paralympic Games and I think it means a lot to be doing it at 14.”
On Fliss:
“Fliss is a very inspiring person and she just pushes me all the way and I am just really proud to be her doubles partner.
“It feels amazing to get a medal and with Fliss and it is even more amazing.
On playing four matches in day on her Paralympics debut:
“I think every match is less nerve-wracking and the atmosphere is amazing. To have four games is a bit exhausting but it just feels great to keep going and keep fighting.”
Will Bayley and Martin Perry beat Germany’s Bjorn Schnake and Thomas Rau 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-9) in the round of 16. Play France’s Clement Berthier and Esteban Herrault on Friday at 19:00 (CET)
Name: Will Bayley
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 36
Hometown: Tunbridge Wells
On the atmosphere:
“The atmosphere reminds me of London 2012. I was sitting in the stands this morning watching the girls play and it was special. I was just thinking to myself ‘I can’t wait to get out there’ and it felt special to be out there.
On the quarter-final:
“Tomorrow will feel even more special, playing the best doubles team the French have put out in this competition [the number two seeds]. That’s going to be really exciting and I can’t wait for that. I’m so happy with the way we played.”
Name: Martin Perry
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 30
Hometown: Dumbarton
On playing alongside Bailey:
“Walking out I was a bit nervous as there’s a lot of fans out there but I turned to Will and he said ‘come on you can do this, you’ve got this’ and it just filled me with belief. I made a couple of mistakes early on and Will just said: ‘you’ve got this, you’ve got the next ball’.
“After that, I felt like I was standing ten feet tall. We fought for every ball and we played some good stuff. To finally get a match at the Paralympic Games means so much to me.”
Billy Shilton and Paul Karabardak beat French pair Kévin Dourbecker and Stephane Messi 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-4) in the round of 16. Play Brazil’s Paolo Salmin and Israel Stroh in the quarter-finals on Friday (18:00 CET)
Name: Billy Shilton
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 25
Hometown: Stonehouse
On his preparation:
“I came in a little bit before our match and I just wanted to listen to the crowd, just to get a feel for the noise and how loud it was. It was louder in the stands than on the court but it was amazing. To play in front of the French crowd against French opposition was really difficult but I think the way we handled it was superb and I’m really, really happy.”
Name: Paul Karabardak
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 38
Hometown: Swansea
On the result:
“We’re really happy. We started slowly but we grew into the game. We didn’t hit the heights that maybe we can but we still played really well and we did enough to win the match quite comfortably. I’ve never played in front of such a passionate fanbase as they are here today which I think is really good for table tennis.”
Joshua Stacey and Bly Twomey beat Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski and Katarzyna Marszal 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-9) in the mixed doubles round of 16. Play China’s Zhao Shuai and Mao Jingdian on Friday (11:00 CET)
Name: Joshua Stacey
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 24
Hometown: Cardiff
On Bly winning a women's doubles bronze earlier in the day:
“It is quite unique for Bly and Fliss to have the opportunity to get a medal on their Paralympic debut and as a whole team we are extremely proud and hopefully it is a sign of more things to come at the Games.”
On their approach to their mixed doubles tournament:
“We will take it game by game and approach every game as it is, which is a knockout, so it could be your last. As long as we go out there and enjoy ourselves, anything is possible. Why not come away with another medal?”
Megan Shackleton and Tom Matthews won their XD7 mixed doubles round of 32 match 3-1 against Australia's Jessy Chen and Daniela di Toro before losing 3-0 to Germany's Thomas Bruechle and Sandra Mikolaschek in the round of 16.
Name: Megan Shackleton
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 25
Hometown: Todmorden
On the performance:
“I think we put in a great effort there – we were obviously up against it a little bit with the classification difference, but I thought we put in a good performance and had some good table time and can hopefully take that into the singles.”
Name: Tom Matthews
Sport: Para Table Tennis
Age: 32
Hometown: Aberdare
On the result:
“I’m really happy with the experience out there, and it’s great to do it alongside your best friend on the table. We wouldn’t get that opportunity anywhere else and to do it at a Paralympic Games on the major stage is just amazing.
“I’m going to take this experience forward into the singles and hopefully win the thing.”
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