Jack Shephard hopes that the UK Para Badminton Championships can experience the coattails of Paris 2024 in rising the game in Britain and past.
The 27-year-old made his second Paralympic look in Paris this summer time in each the boys’s SH6 singles and blended doubles alongside Rachel Choong.
He now takes to the courtroom as soon as extra earlier than the top of the 12 months for the UK Para Badminton Championships on the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Shephard has two titles to defend within the Metal Metropolis on the third iteration of the occasion, after successful the singles and blended doubles crowns final 12 months alongside teammate Choong.
And Shephard hopes that ParalympicsGB’s fortunes in Paris this summer time has impressed folks to select up a racquet and be a part of him on the courtroom in Sheffield.
“The UK Champs is a good factor for the expansion of para badminton,” he mentioned. “The Pathway Improvement staff are doing quite a bit to attempt to assist the game develop and the champs is simply a part of that.
“Hopefully the excitement off the again of the Paralympics and the good present we placed on on the market will give it good publicity for folks to have a go and are available to the Championships.
“I’m actually excited to play in entrance of a high prove. Yearly it simply retains getting higher.”
Three months on from Paris, Shephard additionally famous that the UK Championships had been the right alternative to get again onto the courtroom and work in direction of one other chapter of his badminton profession.
“I really feel like I’ve acquired one thing to work in direction of once more and get again into gear,” he mentioned.
“I would like to verify I come away as UK champion once more because it’s at all times good to say that you just’re finest within the UK and put that in your sporting CV.”
The Championships happen from the 22-24 November with Shephard set to be joined by Paralympic blended doubles teammate Choong and Paris 2024 silver medallists Dan Bethell and Krysten Coombs.
With 4 Paralympians attending the occasion, it’s the good alternative for younger and aspiring athletes to satisfy their heroes and study from the very best.
It is a chance Shephard is aware of might be a significant step in lots of badminton gamers’ careers and expressed his pleasure in giving again to the neighborhood which have supported him on his personal sporting journey.
“It’s nice for these gamers who’re nonetheless making an attempt to develop, giving them the chance to play folks like myself, Dan and the opposite high gamers within the nation,” he mentioned. “It permits us to present again to the game in that method.
“If youthful gamers see me doing heat up in preparation or a settle down, it is going to give them some schooling round elite sport.
“They could be questioning what the aim behind the strategies are and study from that.
“If anybody asks for a photograph or an autograph, I’ll at all times find time for folks.
“They’ve clearly then been impressed by my journey so if I may give two minutes of my time to assist them change into the subsequent finest participant, then I’m more than pleased.”
