Hayley Sands (born 13 March 2000) is an Australian Paralympic table tennis player. She has been selected to compete at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.[1]

Hayley Sands
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2000-03-13) 13 March 2000 (age 24)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportTable Tennis
ClubWoodville District Table Tennis Club

Personal

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Sands was born on 13 March 2000.[2] On January 2, 2013, at the age of thirteen, a diving accident the family swimming pool in Kings Park, South Australia resulted in a C4/C5 incomplete spinal cord injury.[3] Sands spent eight months recovering at the Women's and Children's Hospital in South Australia. She attended Cabra Dominican College.[4] Sands has completed an interior architecture degree at the University of South Australia.[5][6] In 2024, she is an Interior Designer at Woods Bagot.[7]

Table tennis

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Sands was introduced to table tennis at a Paralympics Australia Come and Try Day.[2] She is classified as class 2 player.[8] She first represented Australia in Thailand in 2019. She competed at the 2023 Oceania Para Championships in the women's singles class 2–5.[9]

In 2024, she is a South Australian Sports Institute athlete.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Paralympics Australia Announces Powerful Table Tennis Squad For Paris 2024 | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Hayley Sands | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  3. ^ "All the right moves". Messenger - Westside Weekly (Adelaide, Australia). 7 December 2016. p. 13.
  4. ^ "Brave Hayley brings ray of sunshine to Crows". The Advertiser. 13 March 2014. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Hayley ready to serve up a Paralympic dream". The Advertiser. 7 September 2020. p. 3.
  6. ^ "'F**k, I wish I went with mum to get that chicken': How one decision changed Hayley's life forever". 27 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b Institute, South Australian Sports (13 May 2024). "Powering greatness beyond sport". South Australian Sports Institute. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. ^ Australia, Table Tennis. "National Squads/ Teams". www.tabletennis.org.au. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  9. ^ "ITTF Oceania Para Championships 2023 - Results". results.ittf.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
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