Will Bayley Biography William John Bayley MBE, born on January 17, 1988, is a British professional Paralympic table tennis player who holds the top spot globally. He clinched the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Games and secured the title of World Champion in 2014. In September 2019, Bayley joined the seventeenth season of Strictly Come Dancing, where he was partnered with professional dancer Janette Manrara.
Will Bayley Biography
Will Bayley is a British Paralympic table tennis player known for his exceptional skills and determination. Born on January 17, 1988, in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, Bayley was diagnosed with arthrogryposis at a young age, a condition that affects joint movement. Despite facing physical challenges, Bayley pursued his passion for sports and excelled in table tennis. His skill and hard work paid off at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, where he won a silver medal. In 2020, at the Tokyo Paralympics, Bayley won a gold medal, cementing his status as a top para table tennis player globally. Besides sports, he appeared on “Strictly Come Dancing” in 2019, showcasing his dancing talent to many. Known for advocating disability rights in sports, Bayley inspires others with his positive attitude. Will Bayley serves as a role model for athletes and those overcoming challenges worldwide.
Will Bayley Biography Details
| Full name |
William John Bayley |
| Nationality |
United Kingdom
England |
| Born |
17 January 1988 (age 36)
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England |
| Category |
Tennis Players |
About Will Bayley Biography
William John Bayley MBE is a British professional Paralympic table tennis player, ranked world number 1. He is the 2016 Summer Paralympics Games gold medallist and the 2014 World Champion.
Born: 17 January 1988 (age 36 years), Royal Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom
Medals: Table tennis at the 2020 Summer Paralympics – Men’s singles class 7, MORE
Education: The BRIT School, SGS College – Filton Campus
Nationality: British, English
Parents: Chrissie Bayley
Current team: Great Britain
Personal life
Bayley was born on January 17, 1988, in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. He was born with arthrogryposis, a condition that impacts his four limbs. At seven years old, he received a cancer diagnosis. Following his treatment, he started playing table tennis when his grandmother gifted him his initial table.
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Career
He became a member of the Byng Hall Table Tennis Club in Tunbridge Wells at 12 years old and later represented Kent’s able-bodied men’s team. Since turning 17, he has resided and trained full-time at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. He participated in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China, representing Great Britain, where he was eliminated from the C7 singles after losses to Jochen Wollmert of Germany and Mykhaylo Popov of Ukraine, with a single win against Shumel Shur from Israel. Additionally, he competed in the C6-8 team event alongside Paul Karabardak and David Wetherill, exiting in the quarterfinals. In 2009, he achieved gold medals at the Czech and German opens, while securing golds in Lignano and Brazil in 2010.
Bayley achieved a gold medal in the singles at the 2011 European Championships in Split, Croatia. He also secured a silver medal in the men’s Team event class 7, partnering with Karabardak. In the same year, he was named the European Players’ Player of the Year and by January 2012, he reached the top spot in the world rankings. Subsequently, Bayley earned a silver medal in the London 2012 Summer Paralympics, coming second to Germany’s Jochen Wollmert in the class 7 final. In the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympics, he clinched his first Paralympic gold medal by defeating Brazilian Israel Pereira Stroh.
Following his celebratory actions on the table, he was cautioned with a yellow card. Bayley continued his success by winning silver at the postponed Tokyo 2020 games, marking his third consecutive Paralympic medal. Additionally, he secured silver in the team event, where he faced Yan Shuo in the final, the same opponent he lost his Olympic title to a week earlier. For his contributions to table tennis, Bayley was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours.
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Medal Record
| Men’s para table tennis |
| Representing Great Britain |
| Paralympic Games |
|
2016 Rio |
Individual – Class 7 |
|
2012 London |
Individual – Class 7 |
|
2020 Tokyo |
Individual – Class 7 |
|
2020 Tokyo |
Team – Class 6-7 |
Strictly Come Dancing
Starting in September 2019, Bayley took part in the seventeenth season of Strictly Come Dancing alongside professional dancer Janette Manrara. Their Contemporary dance, performed to Lukas Graham’s “7 Years,” was a tribute to the patients and staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Bayley was treated for cancer at the age of seven. Following a knee injury during a studio rehearsal, Bayley missed week 6 of the competition but was granted a pass to the next week. Despite this, he later decided to withdraw from the show, expressing disappointment that his journey on Strictly had to end, stating, “I’ve loved being part of the show.”
Will Bayley Images
