Sam von Einem - Table Tennis

Grew up playing tennis until moved to Abu Dhabi United’s Arab Emirates when was 8 years old, played much more table tennis in Abu Dhabi as had a table at home and moved into competitive table tennis when was 11 years old when got home from Abu Dhabi, Have been playing in able bodied Competitions since was 11 years old.

Joined the Australian Paralympic table tennis team in 2013 as an athlete competing in Class 11 which is for players with an Intellectual Impairment and has been on the team for the last 12 years. Had a great start to International Career in 2014 in the Hungary Para Open and the Italy Para Open winning medals in singles in both events on debut. Since then, I have attended 3 Paralympic Games and 2 World Championships, The Silver medal I won from the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games was the first Medal won in table tennis by an Australian since 1984. I Have won a medal at all 3 Paralympics that I have attended and the only Australian table tennis player to achieve this since Table Tennis was Introduced into the Paralympic Games.

In 2024 reached my highest ranking of Number 1 in the lead up the to the Paris Paralympic Games after winning the Slovenia Para Open which is the biggest event in Para Table Tennis outside the World Championships and Paralympics.

Main place for Training Sessions is the Woodville Districts Table Tennis Club Where has been training since got into Para Table Tennis 12 years ago.

Questions

The best thing about being a SASI Athlete:

Opportunities to work with high level support stuff and be around other world class athletes.

My favourite food to fuel me as an Athlete:

Banana’s.

My favourite movie:

Interstellar.

My favourite colours:

Blue.

My sporting hero and why:

Roger Federer: a great example of how to behave on and off the court while still being as competitive as anyone.

My favourite possession:

Rio Paralympic Silver medal.

The sporting activity I most like performing:

Competing on the big stage.

If I wasn’t doing my current sport I would like to be:

Tennis player.

The most important things in life:

Never give up, never stop believing.

My ambassador activity tip:

Sports are about enjoyment and enjoying the Journey, it takes you on.

My favourite way to keep active:

On the Table Tennis Table.

The sport I like watching the most:

Grand Slam Tennis or AFL.

What sporting success looks like:

Embracing the Challenges what sport presents, the ability to evolve and adapt to what is coming at you.