Meet the Table Tennis Wales Players: Jacob Wicks

From the first time picking up a table tennis bat while on holiday, Jacob Wicks has come a long way to now be a regular representative of his country.

After getting hooked on the sport while away with family, Jacob returned home and immediately joined Gwent Table Tennis Club in Cwmbran, eventually getting spotted by Disability Sport Wales.

Fast forward a little, Jacob went on to make his international debut at the Finland Para Open in late 2023 and has gone on to enjoy success representing Table Tennis Wales on the international stage.

November 2024 saw him secure his first National title  at the British Para National Table Tennis Championships with 3-0 wins against Fliss Pickard and Dan Thomson, a week after a run to the French Open quarter-final.

A little more recently, Jacob featured heavily and performed strongly in competitions that spelled a new, exciting era for para table tennis, notably reaching the last eight of the ITTF Para Future Costa Brava to suggest a bright future in the sport.

We chatted to Jacob about his career so far and what he hopes to achieve…

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

“I ensure that I have some food plenty of time before training is due to start.

“I make sure that I am hydrated. I try to perform some light stretches and gentle movements to release my muscles before going to the training hall.”

How would you describe your style, and what equipment do you use?

“I would describe my playing style as attacking with feel. I try to place the ball onto the table with lots of different spins and powerful top spin.

“I use a Butterfly Primorac offensive bat with Tenergy 05 on my forehand and Dignics 05 on my backhand side.”

How do you handle the pressure of representing your country on the international stage?

“Playing for Team GB on the international stage is a privilege that I try to enjoy.

“Keeping my emotions in check is something that I have found difficult in the past. As I have got older, I have learnt to try to stay relaxed and concentrate on one point at a time.

“To relieve any stress I will bounce the ball between points in order to try and relax, control my emotions and focus on how I want to play.”

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

“Work hard and never give up.

“Give 100% every time you are at the table. Training once a week at 100% is better than training four days a week where you are not fully committed.”

What challenges have you faced and how have progressed past them?

“During Covid, I lost the ability to walk, due to the lack of training.

“I started using a wheelchair but I was determined to continue playing as a standing player. My parents set up a gym in our garage and I worked extremely hard to in the gym to build up my strength in order to be able to walk again.”

What are your goals and aspirations in the coming years?

“My ultimate goal is to represent Great Britain at a Paralympics. I would love to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games but need them to add class 6 to the competition.

“Over the course of the next four years, I would like to participate in as many international tournaments as possible in order to improve my international ranking.”

What motto would say you go by, both in sport and daily life?

“Never give up.”