A year ago a year ago, Para -Tafennis was witnessed by two historical moments that perfectly conquered the rich heritage and the exciting future of the sport. Jan Rijs from Slovakia, the club 8 legend that participated in his eighth Paralympic Games, claimed his fifth Paralympic gold medal. In the meantime, the Chinese Zhao Shuai and Mao Jingdian have etched their names in history by winning the very first Paralympic para-table tennis mixed Doubles title.
At the age of 56, Jan Riapos collaborated with Paralympic debutant Peter Lovas to beat Hang Yeongjin and Park Sung Joo 3-1 (12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8) in the Dubble-final of class 4 gentlemen. “The Doubles is a totally different game than the singles,” Rios then reflected. “This is a great achievement for me.”
For partner Peter Lovas, who made his paralympic debut, the moment was pure magic: “I feel incredible, I can’t describe how I feel. This is my first Paralympic Games and we have won the gold medal, so it’s absolutely great.”
The collaboration showed the wonderful mix of experience and fresh talent that makes Paralympic sport so attractive. “We spent a lot of time preparing for this,” Riaps explained. “I tried to transfer everything to Peter what I know. My experience was invaluable, especially in these heavy and long competitions.”
Earlier in the competition, the Chinese Zhao Shuai and Mao Jingdian also left their mark by winning the very first Paralympic mixed double title. Their 3-0 win over fellow Chinese couple Peng Weinan and Xiong Guiyan in the 17-final class represented more than just a gold medal it was the dawn of a new era in Paralympic table tennis.
“We are very happy to win the gold medal,” said the champions. “Mixed Doubles is also a new event in these Olympic Games. We support each other at these Olympic Games, especially emotionally. This gold medal also proves that our efforts are not in vain.”
Their path to gold included a dramatic semi-final comeback against Viktor Didukh in Ukraine and Iryna Shunkarova, recovering from 2-0 to win in a nail biting fifth game. Poland Piotr Grudzien and Karolina Pek, together with the Ukrainian couple, shared the bronze medals.
The introduction of mixed Doubles in Paris 2024 was perfectly in line with the Mission of the ITTF to defend gender equality, diversity and teamwork. While the double of men and women after an absence of 48 years ago, mixed Doubles offered a completely fresh platform to present athletic partnership and skills.
This addition not only expanded the Paralympic program – it redefined the Paralympic table tennis landscape and offers new opportunities for athletes to compete and excel together.
Despite his unparalleled success, the true passion of Riaps extended further than personal awards. “I am a sportsman, but my heart and soul are committed to developing opportunities for disabled people in Slovakia,” he thought. “These games in Paris have been perfect. Now I see that the Paralympic movement is evolving from amateur to more professional.”
His words recorded the essence of what made these performance so useful – they were not only about individual glory, but about promoting paralympic movement and inspiring future generations.
Looking back a year later, August 31, 2024 is a day on which Paralympic table tennis celebrated both his legendary past and his bright future. RIAPS ‘Historical performance In addition to a paralympic debutant, combined with the inaugural mixed double champions, created a perfect snapshot of what makes Paralympic sport so special.
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