Natalia Partyka
Encyclopedia
Natalia Partyka is a Polish
table tennis
player. Born without a right hand and forearm, she participates in competitions for able-bodied athletes as well as in competitions for athletes with disabilities.
Partyka won her first international table tennis medal in 1999, at the disabled World Championships. She competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
in Sydney
. In 2004, she won a gold medal in the singles event and a silver in the team event at the Athens Paralympics
. She also won two gold medals that year at the European Championships for Cadets, organised by the International Table Tennis Federation
(ITTF). The latter competition was intended for able-bodied competitors. In 2006, Partyka won three gold medals at the European Paralympic Championships, one gold and two silver at the International Paralympic Committee
's Table Tennis World Championships for Disabled, and a silver in the team event at the ITTF European Junior Championship. She won two silver medals and one bronze at the 2007 edition of the latter competition. Also in 2007, Partyka won three gold medals at the European Paralympic Championships, and a bronze at the ITTF World Junior Teams Championships.
She competed
in both the 2008 Summer Olympics
and the 2008 Summer Paralympics
in Beijing
- one of only two athletes to do so, the other being Natalie du Toit
in swimming. They were her third Paralympic Games, and her first Olympics. Competing in class 10 at the Beijing Paralympics, she won gold by defeating China
's Fan Lei by three sets to nil.
In 2008, she won a gold medal in the singles event and a silver in the team event at the Beijing Paralympics
- she duplicated her Athens Paralympics
result.
For her sport achievements, she received:
Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta
(5th Class) in 2008.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
player. Born without a right hand and forearm, she participates in competitions for able-bodied athletes as well as in competitions for athletes with disabilities.
Partyka won her first international table tennis medal in 1999, at the disabled World Championships. She competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. In 2004, she won a gold medal in the singles event and a silver in the team event at the Athens Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
. She also won two gold medals that year at the European Championships for Cadets, organised by the International Table Tennis Federation
International Table Tennis Federation
The International Table Tennis Federation is the governing body for all national table tennis associations.-Founding history:The ITTF was founded in 1926, the nine founding members being Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, India, Sweden and Wales...
(ITTF). The latter competition was intended for able-bodied competitors. In 2006, Partyka won three gold medals at the European Paralympic Championships, one gold and two silver at the International Paralympic Committee
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
's Table Tennis World Championships for Disabled, and a silver in the team event at the ITTF European Junior Championship. She won two silver medals and one bronze at the 2007 edition of the latter competition. Also in 2007, Partyka won three gold medals at the European Paralympic Championships, and a bronze at the ITTF World Junior Teams Championships.
She competed
Poland at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Poland competed at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. The country's delegation included 268 athletes.Natalia Partyka, in table tennis, is one of only two athletes competing at both the Beijing Olympics and the Beijing Paralympics - the other being South Africa's Natalie du Toit in...
in both the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and the 2008 Summer Paralympics
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
- one of only two athletes to do so, the other being Natalie du Toit
Natalie du Toit
Natalie du Toit is a South African swimmer. She is best known for the gold medals she won at the 2004 Paralympic Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. She was one of two Paralympians to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; the other being table tennis player Natalia Partyka...
in swimming. They were her third Paralympic Games, and her first Olympics. Competing in class 10 at the Beijing Paralympics, she won gold by defeating China
China at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
China was the host of the 2008 Summer Paralympics, held in Beijing. China's delegation included 547 people, of whom 332 were competitors. The athletes, 197 men and 135 women, ranged in age from 15 to 51 and competed in all twenty sports. Two-hundred and twenty-six of the competitors participated in...
's Fan Lei by three sets to nil.
In 2008, she won a gold medal in the singles event and a silver in the team event at the Beijing Paralympics
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
- she duplicated her Athens Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
result.
For her sport achievements, she received:
Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
(5th Class) in 2008.
See also
- List of paralympic athletes that have competed in the Paralympics and Olympics
- Natalie du ToitNatalie du ToitNatalie du Toit is a South African swimmer. She is best known for the gold medals she won at the 2004 Paralympic Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. She was one of two Paralympians to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; the other being table tennis player Natalia Partyka...
External links
- "Natalia Partyka", official website of the International Table Tennis FederationInternational Table Tennis FederationThe International Table Tennis Federation is the governing body for all national table tennis associations.-Founding history:The ITTF was founded in 1926, the nine founding members being Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, India, Sweden and Wales...
- "Natalia Partyka - Polish table tennis player", official profile of the Polish Table Tennis Magazine
- The official website of Natalia Partyka
- ITTF Database