Paralympic Glory in Sight: Shilton Aims for Gold in Paris
August 23, 2024 | Paul Stimpson
Billy Shilton, a world champion in wheelchair tennis, has set his sights on Paralympic gold in Paris. Shilton and his doubles partner, Paul Karabardak, stormed to victory in the Men's Class 14 Doubles at the World Championships in Spain in 2022, defeating the top-seeded Thai pair in their second tournament together.
With two years of experience under their belts, the duo will enter the Paris Games as the sixth seeds, harbouring realistic ambitions of a medal.
"I trust Paul completely," said the 25-year-old Gloucestershire native. "Doubles is special because you want to win for yourself, but you also want your partner to succeed. That shared victory means so much more."
Recalling their world championship triumph, Shilton said, "When we won the Worlds, I was so happy to share that moment with Paul. It's amazing to win on your own, but sharing it with someone else is truly remarkable."
The pair has been putting in the hours to ensure they are in peak form for Paris. "I honestly believe we can win," Shilton affirmed. "Our performances after the Worlds weren't great, but we've done a lot of work as a team since then. It's been challenging with Paul living in Wales and me in Sheffield, but we've been on countless Zoom calls, doing lots of analysis, and the last few months we've been playing exceptionally well."
The left-hand, right-hand combination of the duo presents a unique advantage. "I think it's definitely a positive for us," Shilton explained. "Given the movement difficulties Paul and I have, it helps us even more. We can set each other up for certain shots, which is really beneficial. If we were both right-handed, we'd have to cross around and move around each other, but our side-to-side movement makes things a lot easier."
Shilton was part of the team that secured bronze in the Men's Class 8 Team at the Tokyo Paralympics, and reached the singles quarter-finals. His ambition for Paris is to go even further in the singles.
The sixth seed enters the Games with a strong season behind him, including gold in the men's class 8 singles at the Costa Brava Spanish Open in March, which secured his place in Paris. "I genuinely believe I can win a medal in the singles," he stated. "This season has been fantastic for me. I achieved my highest ranking, which is six, and I've beaten several top players. I've had one of the best seasons of my career, so I can't wait to get started."
This will be Shilton's second Paralympics, but with the strict COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo, it will feel like his first. He is particularly looking forward to the support he'll receive in the stands, not only from loved ones but also from his team-mates, illustrating the strong bond within the British squad.
"It'll be great to compete in front of people," Shilton said. "Tokyo was different, with no spectators. This time it'll be special. Family, my brothers, some school friends will be there, so hopefully there'll be plenty of noise. It'll be nice for them, and a special moment for me as well to have my family there."
He added, "Tokyo was something they couldn't experience firsthand. They were getting up in the middle of the night, watching the live stream, seeing if I was winning or losing. So, it'll be nice and a special moment for me to have them there. I'll be in the stands, screaming my head off for all my team-mates. We'll all be behind each other all the way."
