The Board of Directors of TTCAN, at its meeting on 9 April 2020, accepted a proposal presented by Ian Kent to develop, implement and manage a new ParaTT Development Program and to manage the ParaTT National Team program. Ian is engaged as a volunteer with a modest monthly honorarium.

In addition, a new ParaTT Committee will be formed with representation from all regions of Canada.

Ian Kent is a former able-body National Team athlete as a Junior 1976-1978, and a former National Team coach 1986 – 1991. He contracted Dystonia in August 1999 as a 38-year old young man. He remained bed-ridden for the better part of 18 months before being diagnosed with Dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, at which time he was told he would likely be in bed the rest of his life.

A multi-year Atlantic Table Tennis Champion, winning the Men’s singles title in 4 different decades, 2 centuries and 2 millennia, Ian won the Atlantic Men’s Singles title again in 2002 & 2008, but as an athlete with a disability. In 2004, the National Para Table Tennis Team coach at the time, John MacPherson, asked Ian if he would like to see if his disability would be classified as “disabled” and play international table tennis for Canada’s ParaTT Team. Off to Emmen, Netherlands, in 2004, where Ian began his Para Table Tennis playing career at 42 years old and would never look back. He amassed 34 international medals including 15 Para Pan American medals along the way. At 56 years old, Ian won Gold, which he considers to be his best result, at the 2018 US Para Open Class 8 Singles in Las Vegas including countries from Asia namely South Korea, Thailand and Japan.

Now at 58 years old Ian has decided to be the lead in an effort to broaden the field of ParaTT players in Canada in his new role as Manager of Para Table Tennis program for TTCAN starting on May 1, 2020. His goals in this new position include increasing the number of active athletes with a disability playing table tennis all across Canada, and within 4 to 8 years have athletes of both sexes competing in each of the 11 classes Para Table Tennis has to offer.

While Ian will take a back seat as far as his competitive Para Table Tennis career is concerned, he looks forward to leading the charge of this new era in Para Table Tennis in Canada.

If you would like more information on getting involved with Para Table Tennis in Canada in any way (Sponsor, Player, Coach or other), as of May 1, 2020, feel free to contact Ian Kent at para@ttcanada.ca

Ian Kent’s Para Table Tennis Medal History

Major titles

2018 US Open Gold in Men’s Singles Class 8
2017 Para Pan American Games Gold in Team Class 8
2013 Para Pan American Championships Gold in Teams class 8
2011 Para Pan American Games Gold in Singles class 8
2009 Para Pan American Championships Gold in Singles class 8
2009 Para Pan American Championships Gold in Team class 8

Regional medals

2019 Para Pan American Games Bronze Class 8 Singles
2017 Para Pan American Games Bronze in Class 8 Singles
2015 Para Pan American Games Silver in Teams class 6-8
2015 Para Pan American Games Bronze in Singles class 8
2013 Para Pan American Championships Bronze in Singles class 8
2011 Para Pan American Games Silver in Teams class 6-8
2007 Para Pan American Games Silver in Singles class 8
2007 Para Pan American Games Silver in Teams class 8
2005 Para Pan American Table Tennis Championships Silver in Singles class 10
2005 Para Pan American Table Tennis Championships Bronze in Teams class 10

International Open medals

2015 PTT Spanish Open Silver in Teams class 7-8
2015 PTT Spanish Open Bronze in Singles class 8
2014 Copa Costa Rica Bronze in Singles class 8
2014 Copa Costa Rica Bronze in Teams class 8
2013 Mike Dempsey Memorial Table Tennis Championships Gold in Teams class 8
2013 Copa Tango XI Silver in Teams class 8
2010 Copa Costa Rica Gold in Singles class 8
2010 Copa Costa Rica Silver in Teams class 8
2009 Copa Tango VII Bronze in Teams class 8
2007 Atlantic Cup Gold in Singles class 7-8
2007 Atlantic Cup Gold in Teams class 8
2007 Copa Tango V Silver in Teams class 8
2007 Serbia Open Bronze in Teams class 10
2006 US Open Bronze in Open singles standing
2006 Copa Tango IV Silver in Teams class 10
2005 Copa Tango III Silver in Singles class 10
2004 Mexican Open Gold in Singles class 10
2004 Mexican Open Silver in Teams class 9-10