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Table Tennis at the Paralympic Games

Table tennis has been a part of the Paralympic Games program ever since the first Games in 1960 in Rome. Initially, the sport was played by athletes in wheelchairs. A standing event was first introduced for the 1976 Toronto Paralympics, then in Arnhem 1980 an event for athletes with an intellectual impairment was also included.

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Fast forward until now, table tennis is the fourth largest Paralympic sport, with athletes from over 100 countries currently competing.

Athletes with physical and intellectual impairments can compete, however athletes with visual impairments cannot. There are both sitting (wheelchair) and standing events, and the sport is open to both men and women who can compete in individual, doubles and team events. Traditionally, matches are played in a best of five sets format, with a score of 11 points winning each set.

In terms of classifications, athletes are assessed on their functional ability and given a number between 1 and 10. Athletes with the same functional ability number will then compete against each other. There are 5 classes for those in wheelchairs, and 5 for those who are standing. There is also a classification for standing athletes with an intellectual impairment.

The tournaments follow a qualification round followed by knockout stages to determine the winners.

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Paralympics Extra

The current Summer Paralympics are in Paris 2024, followed by the 2026 Winter Paralympics. Also, check out the list of Paralympic sports, and top medal winners.

Major Events Extra

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