Meet the Table Tennis Wales Players: Charlotte Carey

Introduced to table tennis by her grandfather as soon as she was able to see over the table, Charlotte Carey is now one of Welsh table tennis’ most recognisable names.

A bronze medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Charlotte still has success in her sights as she looks to emulate her sporting inspirations and serial medallists Timo Boll as well as Jessica Ennis-Hill.

The inspiration and influence are evident, from her attacking style of play to the Tenergy 05 bat and Timo Boll AL rubbers she utilises.

Another Commonwealth medal is the goal for Charlotte in 2026, although before that are plenty of other podium opportunities and tournaments to fight in. And in just a few weeks, Spain-based Charlotte will kick off her European Championships campaign in Austria.

Prior to that, we chatted to her as part of our Meet the TTW Players series.

As a national athlete, what does a typical day of training look like for you?

“I wake up and run, as in Spain we practice quite late. I like to run at the beach to clear my head, first thing. Then I practice at 11:30 and 16:00.

“After practice I come home and do a fitness session in the evening.”

What’s one of your most memorable achievements in your table tennis career so far?

“Winning against England in the quarter finals of Commonwealth Games, then winning a bronze medal in doubles at the same event.

“The lows of the tournament made the highs even higher and, overall, it was a great competition!”

Charlotte’s career hasn’t been all highs, though. There have been challenging moments and lows, too.

Can you tell us about a challenging moment in your career?

“A challenging moment was deciding to move away full time. It’s paid off now, but I had always planned to go to university.

“Another tough time was changing from junior to senior and seeing the big step. I had to persevere, find how I wanted to play, and be mentally strong, leading to finding good teams in the international league.”

Overcoming those challenges is testament to Charlotte’s mental strength and her drive to thrive under pressure.

“Pressure is a privilege, so I try to turn it into a positive and give me a positive attitude,” she explained. “I just try to play every point as it comes and forget previous ones.”

What advice would you give to aspiring table tennis players who dream of reaching the National level?

“Keep working hard but most importantly enjoy it and do it for yourself!”