Para Champ Davies One Of Four Welsh Players Aiming For World Glory

Wales’ Paralympic champ Rob Davies will  spearhead a 14-strong GB squad for the World Para Table Tennis Championships in Slovenia.

Brecon’s Davies is one of four Welsh players in the squad being joined by Bridgend’s Paul Davies, Paul Karabardak from Swansea and Aberdare’s Tom Matthews.

Davies, who won the Para title in Rio 2016, will be joined in the squad for the championships, which run from October 17-20, by fellow Para champ Will Bayley.

The 34-year-old will be bidding to add the World championship to his men’s class 1 Paralympic and European titles, having taken silver in 2014.

Davies has only played one tournament since retaining his European crown last October but has reached the final of the last five major championships, winning four of them.

“I’m excited to go into another World Championships,” said Davies. “I might not have had the ideal preparation but I’m really looking forward to the challenge and I’m improving day-by-day.

“Although the Czech Open last month didn’t go according to plan I can still take a lot out of it because that is why I went there – to see what I needed to strengthen.

“I know what I need to work on and hopefully I’ll be stronger going into the Worlds. My record in major championships definitely does give me confidence and I enjoy the big tournaments. I like the atmosphere and I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do.”

Namesake Davies was also making his first appearance since taking bronze at last year’s European Championships when he was knocked out in the group stages of the Czech Open last month.

But he is a great competitor and knows what it takes to medal at the major championships.