In this candid and inspiring interview, we dive deep into the incredible journey of Will Bayley β the worldβs number 1 ranked Paralympic table tennis player πβ¨
From being awarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year Honours to winning 7 Paralympic medals, Will shares stories that go far beyond the sporting arena. He opens up about his childhood, including how he became an Arsenal fan β€οΈβ½ the real difference between ping pong and table tennis, and how sport became his outlet while growing up with a disability.
Will talks honestly about his early struggles, including being diagnosed with blood cancer at just 7 years old, undergoing multiple operations, and navigating school life while dealing with daily challenges. Through it all, his mum was his rock πͺ instilling in him a winning mindset and a relentless drive to succeed.
We follow his journey into table tennis β from his first serious training trip to Beijing, to reaching the Paralympic final in London 2012 in front of a roaring home crowd. He also shares what it was like competing in Rio, how passionate he gets with umpires (maybe a little too passionate), and the lessons heβs learned along the way.
Off the table, Will reflects on collecting his MBE and the cheeky antics of his brother at the Palace, meeting Prince William, and how surreal it all felt.
We also get a glimpse into his time on Strictly Come Dancing β only bowing out due to a leg injury, his unexpected love for dancing (despite the two left feet), and how past experiences have always driven him to push boundaries.
Today, Will is based in Brighton, coaching the next generation of table tennis talent, passing on the wisdom, energy, and fighting spirit that have defined his career.
This is a powerful story of resilience, mindset, family, sport, and never giving up β no matter what life throws at you π―π₯
π https://en.butterfly.tt/ - Will's table tennis shop
Check out our collection of Sports Podcast here: www.daviessports.co.uk/sports-podcast
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