Recently crowned national champions Megan Shackleton and Joshua Stacey are included in a 15-member British team for the ITTF World Para Elite Spokane 2025 that takes place in Washington State, US from 9-13 August.
The team also includes Paris 2024 Paralympic medal winners Will Bayley, Rob Davies, Bly Twomey, Fliss Pickard, Paul Karabardak and Billy Shilton.
In addition to winning the women’s wheelchair title, Shackleton (shown above) defeated the regular mixed double partner Jack Hunter-Spivey with 3-2 to win the open wheelchair title on the Michael Hawkesworth National Championships in Sheffield.
“It means a lot to win the open title,” she said, “especially to have to beat a top player like Jack from Men’s Class 5. I think it shows that all the hard work we do in Sheffield is bearing fruit and it was nice to be a woman on top of the podium against the boys.
“In the past few weeks we have played many matches and they have been 3-2 and I won one and lost a few. In the training camp in Sweden I defeated the two Swedish boys, so I think Jack knew I had improved, and I don’t think it shocked him too much.
“I went up with 2-0 and when it was 2-2, I had to change my tactics a bit, but luckily I had many of the things I worked on during training, especially mixing my touch game with my attacking game really good, so I will bring that in the US and hopefully see more success.
“I think I have gradually improved all year round and start consolidating a number of different things in my game, so I feel positive for the US and excited to start and see where I am. I would of course want to make completely to the end, but I am absolutely looking to be in the medals.”
Stacey is currently ranked no. 2 in the world in Men’s Class 9 after gold and silver respectively in the Challenger and Elite events in Slovenia in May. He did not lose a set in winning the open status and class 9-10 singles events in Sheffield and hopes to continue that form in Spokane.
“In my classes singles I expected to win,” he said, “mainly grown number one, so I placed that expectation on myself and I think I played well. I made sure that I could play my game and I almost suffocated who I played, and I think it was reflected in the score lines. I am clearly happy that I won.
“I absolutely think I made improvements from Slovenia. Although they were good tournaments for me, I came back from there with a clear picture of what I had to do to get better and to make me solider. I think I have made many good adjustments the purpose of improvement is never ending, but I think I am in a good place in the vsa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa and the usa.”
Stacey defeated Aaron McKibbin in the final of the open singles and will work with the Men’s Class 8 World No 1 in the men’s class 18 double.
“Aaron is located in London, and I am based in Sheffield, so practice itself is quite difficult,” said Stacey, “but we are reasonably good in conversations about previous competitions and where we both think we can get better to get the best apart during a double match. Probably one of our most important strengths is our openness to change and after.”
World of men class 7 and European champion Will Bayley and Chris Ryan (Men’s Class 2) will also participate in the previous ITTF World Para Future Spokane Tournament of 6-8 August.
The British Squad for the Ittf World Para Elite Spokane (August 9-13) is: Will Bayley (Class 7), Theo Bishop (Class 7), Rob Davies (Class 1), Jack Hunter-Spivey (Class 5), Paul Karabardak (Class 1), Persthews (Persthewsbinbin, Persthewsbinbin, Persthewibin, Persthewsbinbin, Persthewibin, Persthewibin, Persthewibbinbinbinbin, 6), Fliss Pickard (Class 6), Chris Ryan (class 2), Megan Shackleton (class 4), Billy Shilton (class 8), Joshua Stacey (class 9), Bly Twomey (class 7), Grace Williams (class 8).
#National #Champions #Megan #ShacKleton #Joshua #Stacey #Lead #Squad #Table #tennis #England