Ander Cepas, bronze medalist in table tennis at the Paris Paralympic Games

The thirty-eight official Spanish medals in the medal table of JParalympic games in Paris 2024 They are sure that this Saturday, on the penultimate day of the competition, the thirty nine Ander Cepas played the semi-finals of table tennis in individual class S9 including brass confident and has a tough challenge trying to improve the color of his podium.

It was not to be as the Spaniard fell in the penultimate round against the Belgian and was favorite for the gold Lawrence Devoswho beat him 3-0. With a slight 11-7, 11-8 and 11-7Devos made the most of his favoritism in a match he controlled to secure a spot in the afternoon’s final and, with it, the narrowest of silver medals.

The Spaniard, a debutant at Paris 2024, has yet to step up to a match where he faces his idol with the comfort of thinking he has a medal around his neck. Devos made the distinctionswith advantages of between four and five points in most of the first and second sets. Cepas couldn’t take any advantage of them, with only a one or two point margin at the start of each set and not leading in the third.

The defeat, however, does not spoil the massive tournament that Cepas has signed in Paris 2024. The young Basque managed to keep Spanish table tennis on the Paralympic medal tablea milestone maintained since Barcelona 1992 and broken in recent days with the departure of some of the mainstays of the national team.

At almost twenty years old, Cepas made a great trip to Paris, where only Devos, world number 1, was able to stop him. It is in the afternoon, when the final ends, when you will be able to smile from the podium together his bronze medal hanging around his neck.

“It’s great to keep working”

Ander Cepas was happy after sealing his competition with a bronze medal. “Maybe I haven’t assimilated everything I’ve done these days.but I always try to give my best and even if things didn’t go the way we wanted or what could have happened, I was very happy with the whole competition,” Cepas highlighted after the match.

His medal is a bet for the present and future of Spanish table tennis. “Many colleagues have retired and the truth is that it has made me proud. I am very grateful for everything you have done for meYo. They helped and supported me whenever I needed it. They will definitely continue to support me from their homes and I am proud of that,” he thanked.

In his first Games, Cepas walked away with bronze. “It’s a reward for everything I’ve done over the years. It’s great to keep working“, was closed.