Bly Twomey
Age: 16
Home country: UK
Special skill: Table tennis (ping-pong!)
Hey, I’m Bly and, at the age of 14 years and 124 days, I became the world’s youngest Paralympic table-tennis medallist! Growing up with cerebral palsy hasn’t been easy, but I’ve never let it get in the way of my goals and dreams.
*Image credit: Graham Denholm/Getty Images for IPC
How it all began...
Even though cerebral palsy restricts the movement in one side of my body, I’ve still always been quite good at sports!
I loved football, swimming, basketball, horse riding, dodgeball and tennis, but I gave most of them up once I discovered my love for table tennis.
I realized this was the sport that was going to make my dreams come true!
This happened when I was 11 and attended a holiday camp run by Brighton Table Tennis Club – I instantly fell in love with the sport.
Within just 6 months, I was picked for the National Club League and, in 2022, I joined the British Para Table Tennis Development Squad!
When I had my first knock with the world champion Will Bayley after the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, I smashed the ball past him and he was a bit shocked. He said I could be as good as him one day!
He then became my coach and mixed doubles partner.
That’s when things started getting really exciting…
Breaking a world record
I became the youngest Paralympic table-tennis medallist at the Paralympic Games in Paris, France.
When I found out, I was sitting at the kitchen table and my mum told me and I started jumping up and down, I’ve never been happier!
For the next 6 months, I trained really hard.
I played in front of the biggest crowds of my career, including my family and 150 members of my club…
And I’m proud to say that I earned not one, but TWO bronze medals: one in singles and one in doubles (alongside Fliss Pickard)!
Sports and disability
Table tennis has really helped me accept my disability and realize it’s part of who I am and that it’s okay to be different!
In fact, the best part about playing table tennis has been seeing all the different disabilities at the Paralympics, as I never realized how many people there were like me.
I’m happy to keep getting better at it and, when I’m not competing or training, I love spending time with my twin sister, Ellis!
Don’t we look identical?!
[My advice is] go out there and be the person you want to be. Everyone is born for a reason; now it’s time for you to find yours.
Bly Twomey