Junior doctor Kim Daybell representing Great Britain in table tennis
Practices down at the Greenhouse Sports charity centre in Marylebone.
Friday, 12th October 2018 — By Steve Barnett
THERE’S one spin doctor who shared his praise for the National Health Service this week without trying to win over your vote.
Paralympic table tennis star Kim Daybell – who has started working at the Whittington Hospital in Islington after qualifying as a junior doctor – is one of 14 British athletes competing in the World Para Table Tennis Championships in Slovenia on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old is looking to fit in as much time at the practice table as possible at the Greenhouse Sports charity centre in Cosway Street, Marylebone.
He said: “It’s a great place to go. I get down there when I can to spar with the children. Sometimes I head there to practise too. I’ve told all the coaches that whenever they want me to go along and work with the children I’ll be more than happy to do so.”
Kim was born in Sheffield with Poland’s syndrome, a rare condition characterised by underdevelopment or absence of the chest muscle on one side of the body. That hasn’t stopped him from going on to represent his country in both para table tennis and at able-bodied level.
Reflecting on his love for the sport, and the challenges that lie ahead, Kim said: “Table tennis matters a lot to me.
“Now I have finished medical school, qualified as a doctor, and got work I can switch my focus back to table tennis, at least for the time being. “The NHS is a good organisation if you want to work part-time.
“I work a three-day week and train two days a week and it is working really well.
“Everyone at the Whittington has been really supportive.
“I am just going to take it major competition by major competition and as long as I am still playing well and I love the sport then I don’t see any reason to not carry on.”
Born and raised in Sheffield, he will go into the showpiece in smashing form having returned home from the Gold Coast in Australia in April sporting a shiny silver medal from the Commonwealth Games – narrowly losing the men’s class 6-10 singles final to his Team England compatriot Ross Wilson.
The world No 5 seed has also won gold in the singles and team events at both the Czech Open and the Lignano Master Open in Italy this year.
He started playing 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.
Kim made his international debut in 2008 at the age of just 16 and has since won gold medals in France, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Romania.
He has also represented ParalympicsGB at London 2012 and Rio 2016, while last year he won a team silver in the European Championships.
“I’m at the highest ranking I’ve ever been so I’m in a good place going forward,” he said, adding that he also has his sights set on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
