Date and place of birth: 11/08/1992, Sheffield

Home town: Sheffield
Lives: Leeds
Family: Mum Lee Choo and Dad Michael
TT Class: 10
Current world ranking: 9
TT Style: shakehand grip, attacking
International debut: 2008, German Open

Kim’s story

Kim Daybell started playing table tennis at the age of nine at home in the garage with his Dad and was immediately attracted by the speed and excitement of the sport. He made his international debut in 2008 at the age of 16 and progressed to win gold medals in Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Romania before finishing fourth at the European Championships in 2011 and representing ParalympicsGB at London 2012.

“London 2012 was a real career highlight for me,” says Kim. “To compete in front of a home crowd on the biggest stage sport can offer really was a dream come true. The atmosphere was electric and I doubt if I will ever experience anything quite like it again. It was amazing to see how much people cared and wanted us to achieve.”

Sheffield born Kim has been inspired by Paralympic sport and since 2010 has combined his table tennis training with studying for a degree in Medicine at Leeds University.  “Seeing how severely disabled people can benefit from sport and play at such a high level made me want to help other disabled people to do the same,” explains Kim. “A major part of the appeal for me about Leeds University - as well as the course which is great - was the support they would give me as an athlete.”

While Kim plans to be a doctor he has ambitions to succeed at the highest level in sport as well. “I hope to achieve a Paralympic medal one day in my career and re-establish myself in the top five in the world,” he says.

In 2013 Kim took a bronze medal in Slovenia and reached the quarter finals of the singles in the European Championships before finishing the season in style with gold in the class 10 singles at the Belgian Open. He began 2014 with a silver medal in the team event in Slovenia and showed improved form at the World Championships in China - reaching the quarter-finals of the singles and recording some great wins in both singles and team event, losing only to the number one and number two in the world. He then confirmed his progress by taking gold in the men’s class 10 singles at the Cote d’Azur International without dropping a set.

“I’m playing a lot more positively,” said Kim. “I feel that I’m competing with the best players and I feel that I am one of the best players as I’ve got the wins under my belt now. I’m hoping to keep on improving and I think that in time the results should come as they did towards the end of 2014.”

Kim admits that combining training with his medical studies can be hard and has taken a year out of University to prepare for Rio.

“Training full time has allowed me to focus on my table tennis without the added pressure of studying and exams and I can see the difference in the way I am playing.”

Kim was born with Poland’s syndrome - a rare condition characterised by underdevelopment or absence of the chest muscle on one side of the body - but as well as representing his country in Para table tennis he has also played at able bodied level.

Take 5 with Kim:

Sporting event you would most like a ticket for - Champions League Final

Three famous people you would most like to have a drink with - Usain Bolt, Lance Armstrong, John Lennon

Place in the world you would most like to visit - Nepal and northern India

Three words that describe you best - restless, determined, hard-working

If you had to appear in a reality programme which one would it be - Shipwrecked

and finally - Kim has also played badminton at county level and represented England in home nations events

2015 Results:
China Open - bronze, men’s teams (class 8-10); QF men’s singles (class 10)
European Championships, Vejle, Denmark - QF, men’s singles (class 10); QF, men’s teams (class 10)
Slovenia Open - bronze men’s singles (class 10); QF men’s teams (class 10)
Lignano Master Open, Italy - bronze, men’s singles (class 10); bronze, men’s teams (class 10)

2014 Results:
Cote d’Azur International, France - gold, men’s singles (class 10); bronze, men’s teams (class 10)
World Championships, Beijing, China - QF men’s singles (class 10); group stages, men’s teams (class 9-10)
Slovenia Open - silver, men’s teams (class 10); QF men’s singles (class 10)
National Championships - winner, men’s open singles (class 6-11); winner, doubles (mixed class 6-11)

Career Highlights:
2015: European Championships, Vejle, Denmark - QF, men’s singles (class 10); QF, men’s teams (class 10)
Slovenia Open - bronze men’s singles (class 10)
Lignano Master Open, Italy - bronze, men’s singles (class 10); bronze, men’s teams (class 10)
2014: Cote d’Azur International, France - gold, men’s singles (class 10); bronze, men’s teams (class 10)
World Championships, Beijing, China - QF men’s singles (class 10)
Slovenia Open - silver, men’s teams (class 10)
2013: Belgium Open - gold, men’s singles (class 10); bronze, men’s teams (class 10)
European Championships, Lignano, Italy - QF men’s singles (class 10)
2011: Romania Open - gold, men’s teams (class 10)
Bayreuth Open, Germany - gold, men’s singles (class 10); gold, men’s teams (class 10)
Slovakia Open - gold, men’s singles (class 10)
2010: Lignano Master Open - gold, men’s singles (class 10); gold, men’s teams (class 10)

Further results available at: http://www.ipttc.org/players/men/kim_daybell/index.htm