A Legendary Career Comes to an End

Welsh Paralympic champion Neil Robinson has announced his retirement after an illustrious career that saw him represent Great Britain in 11 Paralympic Games—seven as an athlete and four as a coach. Born in Bridgend, Robinson, now 66, clinched a gold medal with the men's C3 team and a silver in the singles competition at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics. His medal tally also includes victories in Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens before he transitioned to coaching after the Beijing Games.

A Difficult Decision

"This is a very difficult decision given my long-term involvement with British Para Table Tennis (BPTT)," Robinson stated. "But I feel the time has come to retire and have the flexibility to spend more quality time with my family, especially now that my wife Karen and I are grandparents." Despite retiring, Robinson plans to stay involved with the sport, offering his expertise to BPTT and helping to develop both established and new players.

From Tragedy to Triumph

Robinson's journey to becoming one of Britain's most successful Paralympians began after a car accident at the age of 18 left him requiring a wheelchair. He discovered table tennis during his rehabilitation and quickly rose to prominence, winning seven medals across seven Paralympic Games. Robinson also achieved the status of European champion and world number one, and in 2012, he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List for his contributions to the sport.

Coaching Legacy

After retiring from competition, Robinson shifted his focus to coaching, establishing a center at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff. This facility allowed Welsh players to receive top-quality coaching on a full-time basis. "When we started with the new structure, the Welsh players came to Sheffield for a training camp, and for the rest of the time, there was no coaching in Wales at the highest level," said BPTT performance director Gorazd Vecko. "Neil was a huge part of every medal achieved by a wheelchair player from Wales over the last 15 years."

Memorable Moments

Robinson coached Paul Davies to a bronze medal in London and Tom Matthews to bronze in Tokyo 2021. Although he wasn't present when Rob Davies won gold in Rio, it remains one of his career highlights. "I am very proud to have had a positive influence in the lives of the athletes I have been involved with and contributed to some of their life-changing moments," Robinson reflected. His standout moments as an athlete include winning gold and silver in Barcelona 1992 and silver and bronze in Atlanta 1996. As a coach, he cherishes coaching Paul Davies to an unexpected singles bronze in London 2012 and preparing Rob Davies for his singles gold in Rio 2016.

A Lasting Impact

"I am extremely proud to have won seven Paralympic medals as an athlete, but working closely with and helping athletes achieve their Paralympic dreams gives me a greater feeling of satisfaction," Robinson concluded. His legacy in the world of Para-table tennis is undeniable, and his contributions will continue to inspire future generations of athletes.