Paris 2024: Poland's Partyka eyes fifth Para table tennis singles title

Fully 24 years after her Paralympic debut as a record-breaking 11-year-old, Natalia Partyka is one step away from securing a fifth Para table tennis WS10 singles gold medal.

In Wednesday’s final she will face Australia’s Qian Yang, who defeated her in the most recent World Championships and also denied her at the semi-final stage at Tokyo 2020.

Partyka’s route to Wednesday’s final was far from easy. After winning the opening two semi-final sets against Chinese Taipei’s Shiau Wen Tian in impressive style, she was three points away from a 3-0 triumph before her opponent mounted a thrilling comeback, winning the third and fourth sets.

The game was on a knife-edge at 8-8 in the decider, before Partyka used every ounce of her considerable experience – which has included competing in four Olympic Games – to emerge victorious.

“I was leading 2-0 and everything was under control, then in the third set I missed a few backhands and I didn’t feel as comfortable anymore,” explained Partyka, who also has two team Para table tennis gold medals.

“I totally lost my game, but it doesn’t matter now and I’m happy – I'm through and that’s the most important thing. I let her play her game and she played that pretty well.

“I had to reach deep into my experience. I should win that match and she had nothing to lose, so maybe it was 50/50 when it was 2-2 and then 8-8. You never know, anything can happen.

“I should win 3-0 and then 3-1, but suddenly it became 2-2 and it was pretty stressful. But I said to myself just try to play your game. Just put the ball on the table – sometimes it’s that easy.”

Paralympic Games No. 6

Helping Partyka to deal with those kind of situations has been a focus on mindfulness since the start of the year, something she was planning to spend time doing after her semi-final, as well as watching upcoming opponent Yang’s own gripping five-set last four win over Brazil’s Bruna Alexandre.

Partyka said, “I’m very happy that we [her and Yang] are playing the final together. I hope we’re both going to play well – I want to beat her and she wants to beat me as well.

“Her level is really good and she’s improved since she moved to Australia. Last time we played World Championships in the final she beat me, so it’s my turn now. We know each other pretty well and have played many finals together – I just need to prepare my tactics and I will try my best." 

Making Paralympic history

Regardless of Wednesday’s final result, Partyka’s place in Paralympic history is already assured after a glittering career that has dovetailed with the growth of her sport.

“I don’t remember a lot from Sydney 2000 because I was just 11 years old, but people tell me I was playing pretty good at the time,” she remembered.

“But Para table tennis has improved a lot since then. My first gold in 2004 I won pretty easily – that doesn’t mean that nobody could play but there was no Chinese players then.

“But since Beijing I would say that it has improved a lot, plus myself, Bruna, Melissa (Tapper, of Australia) have played in the Olympics as well. The level now is so much higher than it was in Sydney.”

Partyka has also relished a Paralympic return to playing in front of crowds, with the South Paris Arena providing an atmospheric backdrop to this year’s competition.

She added, “The crowds here are crazy and it’s so nice to play in front of a full house again. There was nobody there in Tokyo and Rio was 2016, a long time ago, and I think the spectators have been enjoying the Paralympics.”