Jessy Chen

Started: He took up the sport at the Royal Rehabilitation Centre in Sydney, NSW, Australia. (paralympic.org, 14 Nov 2020) Reason: "I remember at the beginning, they let me learn table tennis [during his rehabilitation]. It was pretty hard for me because my body was so weak. It felt good to try something out as well, so when I got better at table tennis, it became more than something to become stronger." (paralympic.org, 14 Nov 2020) Additional Info: FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO AUSTRALIA He relocated from the People's Republic of China to Honiara, Solomon Islands, when he was a teenager as his father had taken a job there. The attack in which he acquired his impairment happened soon after the family arrived in the Solomon Islands, and saw his father become paralysed after being stabbed in the back. The family were sent to Australia, where they could receive the necessary medical treatment. "I was granted a visa after three months in Australia because we couldn't go back to China and we couldn't go back to the Solomon Islands, so we wanted to stay. There was nowhere else to go. I have to pay back the country. Australia gave me a lot. Everything. And I have to work to pay it back." (paralympic.org, 14 Nov 2020; ittf.com, 23 Oct 2019; sbs.com.au, 22 Oct 2019) COACHING He has coached table tennis at the Royal Rehabilitation Centre in Sydney, NSW, Australia, where he first took up the sport. "I just want to help people. I know how everyone there would be feeling in the hospital, but maybe through table tennis, they can feel joy and hope, like I did. I just went in one day to let them know about table tennis, so that maybe people going back home could find something to do. In Australia, table tennis is played by more able-bodied players. There aren't many disabled players so I'd love more people with disabilities to join me." (commonwealthgames.com.au, 01 Jun 2022; paralympic.org, 14 Nov 2020)