Table tennis legend Neil Robinson retires after glittering playing and coaching career 

A monumental figure in British table tennis, Neil Robinson is retiring from the sport after a 45-year career littered with accolades and achievements.  

Having had a huge impact both on and off the table, Neil bids farewell to the sport after featuring as either a player or coach at 11 consecutive Paralympic Games, among other achievements in the sport. 

“This is a very difficult decision given my long-term involvement with British Para Table Tennis,” Neil told BPTT, “but I feel the time has come to retire and have the flexibility to spend more quality time with my family, even more so now that my wife Karen and I are grandparents. I love the sport of table tennis so I intend to stay involved and to continue working with BPTT when required and I will look at helping to develop established and new players individually.” 

Table tennis became significant in Neil’s life at the age of 18, when it formed part of his rehabilitation programme following a car accident that would leave him wheelchair bound with a spinal cord injury and change the course of his life.  

Four years after the accident, Neil found himself representing GB for the first time in May 1981 as he took part in a tournament in Orbetello, Italy. And nearly five decades on, a medal-packed career that has taken him far further afield has come to an end.  

A competitor at seven consecutive Games between 1984 and 2008, Neil won seven Paralympic medals in his time, most notably earning Men’s Singles C3 Silver and Men’s Teams C3 Gold in Barcelona in 1992. 

Another double medallist in Atlanta four years later, Neil also won Paralympic medals in Sydney and Athens to accompany a host of other accolades. 

“I am very proud to have had a positive influence in the lives of the athletes that I have been involved with and contributed to some of their life changing moments,” Neil said to BPTT. “There have been many memorable moments at the Paralympics Games – the standout moments for me as an athlete are in Barcelona 1992 where I won gold and silver medals, and Atlanta 1996 in achieving silver and bronze medals. 

“Another incredible moment came in the semi-final of the team event against France in Athens 2004 where I was 10-2 down in the 5th set against Jean-Phillips Robin, a French legend, and I somehow found a way to win the set 13-11 and the match 3-2 to take us through to the final. Table tennis is sometimes a crazy sport, and this also taught me that you should never give up.” 

The 1995 and 1999 European Championships were also highlights in Neil’s career; Hillerød, Denmark was the scene for a Men’s singles C3 Gold and Men’s teams C3 Silver in 1995, before he achieved Men’s teams C3 Gold, Men’s doubles C1-5 Silver, and Men’s singles C3 Bronze in Piešťany, Slovakia four years later.  

In 2003, with long standing Team partner, James Rawson, it was C3 Team Gold at the Zagreb European Championships. 

 Neil pays a big tribute to ‘Jamie’, who played big part in their C3 Team successes, following his sad passing last year. 

“Jamie and I formed a formidable partnership over the years, and he will be sadly missed.” 

Neil also boasts a Men’s teams C3 Silver from the 2002 World Championships in Taipei, while his Men’s singles C3 Bronze at the 2006 World Championships in Montreux would be his final major Championship medal before retiring from playing at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. 

Neil’s career would then take him straight into coaching, in preparation for London 2012, under the direction of BPTT Performance Director Gorazd Vecko. 

“To be honest I tried to convince him to play again,” Vecko told BPTT, “but he said no. 

“But Neil stayed on as a coach and he made huge progress with players especially in Wales but also in Sheffield and contributed to a massive improvement in the wheelchair players. 

 “With his experience and his knowledge especially about the wheelchair game it was massively important to keep him involved in the sport that he loves.” 

Neil would go on to play a huge role in the development of para table tennis in Wales, setting up performance-level training opportunities at the Sport Wales National Centre to nurture the several Welsh players within the GB squad at the time.  

“We did it in conjunction with Sport Wales,” he told Table Tennis Wales, “to set up a performance hub for those Welsh players.” 

At the time, Neil worked with and was key in the development of Paul Davies, Rob Davies, Paul Karabardak, Sara Head, and, a little later, Tom Matthews. 

“My vision was of a small group, who I could work with closely with in a dedicated, professional environment to really progress these players,” he continued. 

“It worked well because these Wales-based players could now have training full-time, rather than just up at Sheffield-based GB camps.  

“I could work one-to-one with them, which was an effective way of fast-tracking their progression. I really think that aspect helped accelerate their development.” 

And so it proved. London 2012, following a dry Paralympics campaign in Beijing four years prior, would bear unexpected fruit.  

Among Team GB’s numerous para table tennis medallists were Paul Davies, who won Men’s Singles C1 Bronze, and Sara Head, who claimed Women’s Teams C1-3 Bronze. 

Four years later, Rob Davies shone as he picked up Men’s Singles C1 Gold in Rio, before Tom Matthews claimed Men’s Singles C1 Bronze and Paul Karabardak won Men’s Singles C6 Bronze and Men’s Teams C6-7 Silver in Tokyo.  

“He had a massive role to play in my improvement, and he has done ever since,” Tom told BPTT. “Neil’s knowledge of the game, especially the wheelchair game, is unmatched, and it is very inspiring what he has achieved not just as a player but as a coach as well. Neil has been phenomenal, and he is going to be massively missed.  

“As a person, he is just a lovely genuine guy. He is a proper family man, and he brings that into table tennis. He really cares about you as an athlete, and I think that is what we are going to miss most – the care he has for athletes and just being a genuine nice guy.” 

Paris would of course prove to be Neil’s 11th and final Paralympic Games. With Rob Davies earning Men’s Singles 1 Silver and Paul Karabardak claiming Men’s Doubles 14 Bronze, it was once again one to remember. 

Looking back at an incredible, impactful and influential career, Neil is “very proud”. 

“During my playing career I won seven Paralympic medals, was three times a European Champion and became World number one as a proud Welshman representing GB,” he went on to tell us. 

“I feel I have set an example as a player and been a role model, having had a successful Paralympic career before going on to establish the high-level training environment we have in Cardiff 

“I am very proud of my longevity in the sport and, following the initial trauma of my spinal injury, my family and I have been overwhelmed with my achievements in para table tennis.  

“They tell me that they are incredibly proud of me, but they have been my greatest support during my career. 

“I owe a big thank you to them along with former coaches, teammates and colleagues who have helped me during my career.” 

A career like Neil’s inevitably leaves a legacy and, having accumulated inspirational success and pushed for vital opportunities for upcoming generations, his impact in table tennis will be felt long into the future.  

“I’m just looking forward to seeing this work being carried on by the new coach,” Neil stated. “I hope we see continued success from Wales!” 

And, according to Neil, Table Tennis Wales and BPTT can be optimistic in that regard. 

“It’s really good to see Wales punching above its weight on the International para table tennis stage,” he told TTW. 

In Los Angeles in 2028, Wales will hopefully be well represented by Rob Davies,Tom Matthews, and veteran Paul Karabardak, alongside Sheffield-based Josh Stacey and Grace WIlliams. 

“I haven’t worked with Josh or Grace, but it’s clear to see their potential; in a few years, who knows?” 

Table Tennis Wales would like to wish Neil all the best following his retirement, although his efforts aren’t stopping here. 

“I’ll still be involved, providing ad-hoc coaching and training for BPTT; I’m looking forward to making a positive contribution without having all the background planning to contend with! 

“I’m also looking to find a local club and enter a local league and competitions just for fun!” 

Neil is also spending some of his time working with spinal cord injury patients at Llandough Hospital in Cardiff, sharing the positive impacts of table tennis as a rehabilitative tool.  

“It’s been really good to introduce the sport to them,” he told us. “It can be a really vital and valuable part of your rehabilitation from an injury like that, as I discovered, so it’s important to share those benefits. 

“And you never know who could be on the ward!” 

Llongyfarchiadau a diolch, Neil!