Thomson on track to shine

The European Para Youth Games (EPYG) has been a launching pad for many athletes who have then gone on to success at a regional, world or Paralympic Games.

Great Britain’s Dan Thomson is hoping to join that honour list in the future when he competes in Para table tennis in Istanbul, Türkiye, at the seventh edition of the EPYG from 24-28 July.

“Istanbul will be my first multi-Games event on such a scale and it will be great to see all the other athletes from different sports and get a feel for what such a competition is like,” said the 20-year-old rising star.

“Someone was telling me that it’s like a mini-Paralympics in a sense so it will be a great experience.

“I know there are a few Para athletes who are around now who have competed at the event.

“The EPYG are the next level. When you’re at a Para table tennis event there are always people whose face you recognise from other tournaments.

“But in Istanbul there will be a lot of new faces. It’s not being in your own bubble.

“I know there will be a lot of really strong players from my category so the competition will be a very good test to see where I am.

Thomson, who combines training with studying quantity surveying at Sheffield Hallam University, added: “My aim is to compete at a Paralympic Games.

“But I don’t want to put pressure on myself by setting my sights on any one as such.

“I need to keep improving and showing my best at tournaments. As long as I’m improving each time then I’m on the right trajectory.

Thomson showed he is on the right track when he claimed his first individual medal, silver, in April in the men’s class 6 at the International Table Tennis Federation World Para Future event in Finland.

But he knows he faces tough competition in Türkiye with Germany’s world No 15 Benedikt Muller – who beat him at the Para Future tournament in Czechia in June – the No 1 seed.

“It was my first international singles medal so I was very happy. It showed all the hard work and training is paying off,” added Thomson of his silver in Finland.

“But there is always stuff to improve on.

“I enjoy the travelling to different events and the experiences that brings. It’s always an honour competing for your country and it’s good seeing all the different disabilities as you don’t really see that too much.”

Dan Thomson of Great Britain is one of his country's rising stars. Image credit: ITTF

Thomson loved sports growing up and started Para table tennis after a club visited his local primary school in Brighton.

The move to Sheffield to be based at the national centre in Britain – training alongside the likes of multiple Paralympic Games medallist Will Bayley – has helped take him to the next level.

He added: “I always enjoyed sports growing up and played things like football at school but as I got older the physical difficulties meant it got harder.

“Getting to secondary school your peers are stronger physically so it becomes harder to keep up with them.

“I have involuntary movement so I can’t control my muscles properly. That’s basically it.

“But in table tennis I felt I could compete more with my able-bodied friends so I naturally chose that sport. There is more of an even playing field. That’s what got me hooked from the start.

“Then my local club in Brighton did an assembly at my primary school and it has gone from there really.

“I’ve been playing since 2015 and I came to Sheffield, which is the national centre, in 2018. Being alongside all the best players from all over the country gave me the motivation to train really harder.

“Will Bayley is from my club in Brighton and it’s good to see him. He is probably one of, if not the best, in his class at the moment. I chat to him a lot when he is in camps, but when I was in Brighton he did a lot of work with me to help me improve.

“Now uni[versity] has finished for the year I can train full-time until starting against in September. It can be difficult juggling both but I’m quite good at managing my time.

“The thing I like about Para table tennis is that anybody can play it no matter your disability. There are so many categories you will always be matched against opponents with similar impairments so it’s always really open.

“There are so many different styles as well. You might be up against a really attacking player then someone who has less power but has good placement.”

The record-breaking Istanbul 2025 European Para Youth Games officially open on 24 July and run until 27 July. They will feature a record 640 athletes with 1,200 competitors, coaches and team staff from 33 countries, also the biggest ever number, competing in Para archery, Para athletics, wheelchair basketball, boccia, goalball, Para judo, Para swimming, Para table tennis and Para taekwondo.

Participants will also get to experience the Discovery Programme where they will have the chance to take part in education and experiences in a broad range of topics, including activities designed to immerse the people of Istanbul in EPYG and to get to know Para sport.