Panfeng Feng
Panfeng contracted polio when he was seven months old. His life changed dramatically in March 2000 when two Paralympic athletes visited his school, and he was introduced to table tennis.
The star of wheelchair table tennis
The school Panfeng attended provided children with disabilities with cultural education, skills training and rehabilitation. He was inspired by the talent of the para-athletes, by their gold medals and by their pride in wearing the colours of their national team.
However, the school was poorly equipped. The table tennis tables were housed in a shed which was too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Panfeng’s symptoms grew worse.
“Every athlete wants to win gold in a competition. The best way (to get to number one) is a combination of technical innovation in training and experience in competitions.”
Panfeng Feng, wheelchair table tennis player and Ottobock ambassador
Eyes on the ball
However, Panfeng was nothing daunted. His skill and determination soon caught the attention of a coach, and when Beijing was named as the host city for the 2008 Paralympic Games, Panfeng’s dream came true.
He went on to win a gold in the singles and bronze in the team event in Beijing. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games he won gold in both the singles and team event – a feat he repeated in Rio in 2016.
Victories and achievements
| Paralympic Games | World Para Athletics Championships |
|---|---|
| Rio 2016 | South Korea 2010 |
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| London 2012 | |
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| Beijing 2008 | |
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Key facts
- Nationality: Chinese
- Year of birth: 1989
- Sport: wheelchair table tennis
- Classification: TT3