Paris 2024 Paralympics: GB’s Will Bayley beaten in final after controversial penalty
After being penalised a point, Bayley engaged in a long debate with Mikita and also spoke to an off-court official before having to accept the penalty.
He also spoke to the umpire afterwards. Asked what he told Mikita, Bayley said: “I said, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the Paralympic final. It’s difficult to take, I’m gutted and I’m emotional, it’s difficult to talk logically.”
Bayley resolved to return for the next Paralympics and go for gold in Los Angeles in 2028.
“I’m good enough to win a Paralympic Games – 100% [will go for LA 2028], I just need to get over this loss, I’m sure I will in a few weeks,” he added.
Earlier on Friday, Rob Davies claimed silver in the men’s singles MS1.
The Welshman, 40, won gold at Rio 2016 but was unable to defend his title in Tokyo five years later because of a shoulder injury.
In Friday’s final, Cuba’s Yunier Fernandez won a close first game before wrapping up a 14-12 11-7 11-4 victory.
Medals won by Bayley and Davies added to the three bronze medals won by ParalympicsGB in Para-table tennis earlier in the Games – those for Felicity Pickard and Bly Twomey in the women’s doubles WD14, Billy Shilton and Paul Karabardak in the men’s doubles MD14 and Twomey in the women’s singles WS7.
