Paralympic Preview with Will Bayley | Inside Camp | Table Tennis England

well Bailey I I could just stop there really you know it's your paralympic Legend but this is going to be your fifth games how does that field last us it's uh you know it's every player's Everest you know it's every player's dream to play par Olympics every disabled players dream and yeah I'm I'm just so excited I think we've worked really hard the last you know the last few years to get to this position where we've got a chance to do really well and yeah I'm excited can't wait and you've had a very successful sort of buildup over the last year really has that sort of helped with preparation sort of both mentally but also actually getting time out on the table I think so I think the last few years you know I've played more table tennis England tournaments and I've never done that before really and I've played more like British league and I think that's really helped my preparations cuz I feel better in a match now feel more comfortable in matches and and yeah I think everything's just come together and I feel very relaxed um but you know sport is Sport and anything can happen but I think I'm at the best sort of level that I could be and I've given myself the best chance I feel as fit as I've ever felt before I feel younger than I did in 2020 so we'll see and obviously it's going to be a very different atmosphere from 2020 obviously you know what it's like to compete at a home games as well but sort of what are you kind of hoping the atmosphere will be like out in Paris compared to perhaps some of the other games you've taken part in Tokyo aside well I I just hope that there's a and I I'm expecting there to be an amazing atmosphere I think I've always fed off that in in the past when I've done well in par Olympics there's always been like a lot of noise and big crowds and great you know great atmospheres and I'm definitely expecting France to be very very loud we've got 120 uh people from Brighton Table Tennis Club alone watching our matches that are coming all my family um you know all all everyone's family are coming and because it's so close I think it'll be feel like a home games as well for us so the atmosphere for for the GB athletes will be incredible as well there'll be a lot of support but what are your expectations both individually and with Martin I think I think like to play with Martin is just an honor I think any anyone who's seen Martin play is just amazed by what he can do uh with his disability is just incredible uh he's he's I believe he's a big match player he's always played well on the big stage and he's uh you know's he's just got everything you want in the teamate he's very charismatic he's very driven he he wants to win and I think we're quite similar in that way we're both determined and you know we'll be hard to beat because we've got a lot of energy and we've got a lot of fight so that that's what we'll bring and expectation wise I think we've got a free hit which makes us really dangerous I think we're like eight seven or eight seed uh for the event maybe maybe maybe less than that so maybe nine or 10 but we'll definitely be a threat because of our our fighting spirit and our will to win yeah so singles I think that obviously I'm going in as world champion and European Champion world number one one so I've got a really good chance I think that there are many players that could you know be really difficult for me um I'm not deluded to think that I'm just going to get a buy to the final it's going to be extremely hard from the very first round this time and there's people outside the top 10 that are very very good uh from the first round so I'm expecting it to be an absolute battle I'm expecting it to be very hard but like I said I'm the most well prepared I've ever been for a par Olympics and I'm the most relaxed I've ever been so I'm excited for the opportunity What would you say is the lesson you've learned over Beijing London Rio and Tokyo that will help in Paris well I think anyone knows me knows I'm quite an intense character um and I a little bit you know I I want to win at all costs you know and I and I give it everything and I fight and I I think I think as I'm getting older I'm I've I'm becoming more aware of like stepping back and not being not sort not being blinker I've just got a win you know there's I think I'm more thinking about my mental health think about resting sleeping eating well feeling relaxed feeling like enjoying the process uh whereas before I think I just wanted to win and I didn't really care if I enjoyed it I just was trying to go in there and win and and I don't think that got the best out of myself now I'm thinking more about my my mentality um thinking about being you know being fresh being ready to go when I'm needed fresh mentally and physically and I think that's where i' get the best out of myself and that's where I've learned the most over the last five games and soort of the atmosphere within British par TT seems so incredibly positive a lot of people you know see you kind of as a mentor as the sort of the spearhead so to speak because you've been there and done that but what's the atmosphere and Community like up here either in sort of Sheffield or across the British par Community I think the atmosphere is in the in the British power TBL in this team is is unbelievable you know we've got a lot of players that have done so well not just me you know we've got like so many top top players that are doing really well and not just in par table tennis but some of them in Able Body table tennis and and you know I think as a group I think we've got a lot of the senior players that are pushing on and doing really well and then we've also got an amazing group of young players like blle you know 14 years old who who sort of inspires us as well because we're seeing what she can do at her age and it's like wow you know it's exciting future for for everyone and I think everyone's like it's a good blend of like experience and youth and I think that's uh why we're going to have a good games really who have you got coming to support you you've mentioned that nearly all of Brighton's turning up to cheer on for you and bl as well as the other guys but who do you have coming to support you um my family so Fiona um Heidi and Bella and Grace my my children um my mom and dad and uh you know uh you know I work hard hard and and I train hard and I've dedicated my life to this sport I missed out on birthdays and weddings and everything you know and uh for them to be in the crowd Watching Me Maybe my final games I don't know but to have a chance to win is it does motivate me because uh you know to see to to have the opportunity to play in front of them um you know they're going to be there in the stadium you know my girls three and six and to have the opportunity to play in front of them is is just the dream to come true never thought I'd ever do that you know so um I'm excited for that and it definitely Spurs me on to try and give my best performance think back to Rio what was it like the moment you realized that you were a par Olympic champion and what do you feel that could feel like knowing that you have people so much more closer to you OB your girls who weren't here in Rio no it's just going to be I I've said it you know and and I don't think it's I don't think it's unfair to say that this will be the most special moment my life you know because Brighton are coming you know and and because my children are there and because you know my family's there my mom my dad and uh I think I think to share that moment with people is what it's all about and you know they they've had to part with me you know for years you know trying to train you know not turning up to things and you know having ups and downs in my life you know because of table tennis maybe I'm not playing well or not training well and or like I'm always out training or like you know dedicated getting my life to to table Center so to give back to them will will mean a lot and to perform and to share that moment I mean imagine it I mean imagine if one of us wins I can see it now they've all given me so much support and uh yeah I just can't wait I can't wait for that moment if I do do it then they'll be there they'll be the first ones probably to celebrate with me and it's going to be special thank you and I can I just say quickly to all the players in table tennis England um you know we do need your support for this games you know we really want everyone to get behind us in the par Olympics and you know I'm really grateful for anyone who can just like send us good wishes and like support to any of these any of us we've trained so hard for this and we need we do need your support it can make a big difference so please get behind us [Applause]