Laurens Devos

Started: He took up the sport in 2006 in Belgium. (Athlete, 14 May 2016) Reason: He was influenced by his two brothers as they played table tennis. (Athlete, 14 May 2016) Ambition: To compete in non-Para table tennis at the Olympic Games. (veto.be, 11 Oct 2021; underdogsportsblog.sport.blog, 17 Mar 2020) Milestones: At age 16 years and 27 days, he became the youngest male table tennis player to win gold at the Paralympic Games, when he was victorious in the TT9 singles event at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (paralympic.org, 01 Jan 2018) Awards: He was named Belgian Paralympian of the Year for 2016 at the Belgian Sport Gala. (paralympic.org, 19 Dec 2016) He was named Male Para Star at the 2016 International Table Tennis Federation [ITTF] Star Awards. (demorgen.be, 08 Dec 2016) Additional Info: DEALING WITH PRESSURE Having won gold on his debut Paralympic appearance at Rio 2016, he says that he faced additional pressure and expectation when he defended his title at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "Back then [at Rio 2016] the main intention was to gain experience. A gold medal was really the goal for Tokyo 2020, not Rio. I was able to play without stress and that eventually got me the gold. I think it [Tokyo gold] feels even more special than in Rio. I was only 16 years old at the time and those were my first Paralympic Games. I went there with no goals, just to have fun. In the end I won that gold medal. Nobody expected that. In Tokyo the feeling was more intense because I had a title to defend." (underdogsportsblog.sport.blog, 17 Mar 2020; veto.be, 11 Oct 2021) MEDIA ATTENTION He says that he did not anticipate the level of media attention he received after returning to Belgium following his gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "I did not expect to win the tournament, so of course I had not prepared for the enormous media attention. When I returned to Belgium, I did not have a single rest day for the first three to four weeks. It was running from one interview to another, sometimes even for TV shows." (underdogsportsblog.sport.blog, 17 Mar 2020) EDUCATION In 2020 he began studying finance and insurance at University Colleges Leuven-Limburg in Belgium. Due to his focus on competitive sport, he expects to complete his studies in 2026. "I have a top sports statute, which means I can take as many credits as I want. I try to follow a programme of 30 credits every year. So it actually takes me six years to complete a three-year bachelor's degree. This allows me to combine top sport with my studies. When I finish my studies I will evaluate where I stand in terms of sport. As a table tennis player you are at your peak in your late 20s and early 30s. So I still have a few years to continue growing." (veto.be, 11 Oct 2021)

Sporting Relatives: His older brother Robin has represented Belgium in table tennis and competed at seven editions of the world championships between 2013 and 2021. (Athlete, 14 May 2016; SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jan 2024)