Paul Drinkhall
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| Medal record | ||
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| Men's table tennis | ||
Representing  England
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| World Championships | ||
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2016 Kuala Lumpur | Team |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
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2014 Glasgow | Mixed doubles |
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2010 Delhi | Team |
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2014 Glasgow | Team |
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2010 Delhi | Mixed doubles |
Paul Drinkhall (born 16 January 1990) is a British table tennis player. He won the English Championship in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 & 2016.
Drinkhall was born in Middlesbrough. He enjoyed much success as a youngster, winning numerous national championships at his age level, and at levels above his own age. This success did not go unnoticed, as he was shortlisted for BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2005, and finished in second place after Theo Walcott in 2006. He was again shortlisted for this award in 2007. He once again finished in 2nd place in 2007.
In April 2008 Drinkhall signed with the German team TTC Indeland Jülich for the 2008-09 season, having previously played for another German club, Goennern. In December 2008 he was runner-up at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Madrid, losing to Chen Chien-an in the final. In 2010 Drinkhall signed with the Belgian Super Division club Nodo TTC Ekeren.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi he won a silver medal in the Men's Team event and a bronze medal in the Mixed Doubles events.
Drinkhall has been National Champion in every age group so far eligible to compete in - Under 10, Under 11, Under 12, Under 14, Under 17, and Senior Men. Drinkhall was only beaten by a young Jack Farrell from Southend in his 4 years of competitive table tennis career. Paul became the youngest player since Chester Barnes to win the English Senior Men's title in Sheffield in March 2007 when he overcame the much more experienced former champion Alex Perry from Devon in the 4 - 1 contest.
Drinkhall moved to Italy in September 2011, joining the Sterilgarda club with the intention of raising his performances in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Paul Drinkhall qualified for the 2012 Olympic games through a host nation place. In the singles event, Paul defeated Kuwait's Ibrahim Alhasan 4-0 in the preliminary round then beat world ranked 52, Yang Zi from Singapore. In the last 32 stage, Paul lost to Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
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