A 20-year-old Torfaen para table tennis player who won his first international medal in 2025 is looking for sponsors.
Jake Wicks, from Pontrhydyrun, combines travelling across the UK and Europe to compete in top-class tournaments with studies for a degree in policing at Sheffield Hallam University.
He was rushed into intensive care at three after contracting meningitis. His mum and dad brought him home a month later, but the infection left him with cerebral palsy- and he had to learn to sit up and walk again.
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Jake featured on Cwmbran Life a year ago , so it’s brilliant to be able to share some of his highlights of 2025. If you or your business wants to help Jake, you can email Jason, his dad, on [email protected] The sport is self-funded, so your support can help him continue to improve and compete at this level.
These are a few of the things he’s been up to this year. It’s quite a list!
🇫🇮 Won bronze in the ITTF World Para Future Lahti tournament in Finland – his first international medal.
🇪🇸 Reached the quarter finals of a tournament in Spain.
🎤 Took part in media interviews. He’s been on BBC Radio talking about the sport and interviewed by Table Tennis Wales.
🇲🇪 Competed in the ITTF World Para Challenger in Montenegro. He wasn’t expected to take part but was invited due to his progress leading up to it. During the group stage, he lost to the world number 15 but beat the former world number two.
🇨🇿 Reached the quarter finals of both class six singles and men’s doubles at the ITTF World Para Future Ostrava tournament in Czechia. During the singles match, he played for match point but eventually lost 12-10 in the fifth.
🥇🥈🥉Trained with Paul Karabardak, who has competed at five Paralympics, winning three medals, along with gold in the World Championships.
🇰🇿 Flew to Kazakhstan to play in the World Para Challenger tournament.
🇵🇱 Had a personal invitation from the Polish Para Table Tennis team to take part in a training camp.
🇬🇧 Won the open B singles at the Michael Hawksworth British Para National Table Tennis tournament. He also took bronze in the class 6 singles. And he teamed up with Paul Karabardak in the open doubles, where they won bronze.
🚙 Picked up sponsorship from Motorsense South Wales.