King’s Lynn born Dan Bullen para table tennis player in Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC August 3-7

Lynn born Dan Bullen is among seven British Para table tennis players who will be competing in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Their events take place at the NEC from August 3-7 with Bullen selected as a wild card to represent Team England in the men’s class 3-5 event.

He was originally selected to officiate as an umpire but his hard work and improvement was rewarded with the wild card slot.

Bullen twice pushed the highly-rated Jack Hunter-Spivey to five sets two years ago at the National Championships.

The 24-year-old also has the benefit of competing with his opponent in the team event at the European Championships in 2019 – his first major championships.

He won his first international tournament at the Costa Rica Para Open in 2021, taking gold in the men’s class five singles.

Bullen said: “Preparation for Birmingham has been really good. I have been in Sheffield for the last three weeks training hard and working with the coaches alongside all the other players. It means everything to me to be competing in the Commonwealth Games.

“I feel like all the hard work I have done this year has paid off.

“At the start of the season I was trying to qualify and I didn’t think I would get there so to be selected just means everything and to be able to have my family and friends there watching me play in an international tournament rather than on live stream will be great.

“I have played in a major championship before so that will help me to go out there and concentrate on my table tennis and not get overawed with everything that is going on.

“We don’t usually get to go to opening ceremonies so it will be a good experience.

“I have an aim to get out of my group and that will give me the chance of a medal.

“Getting a wildcard has definitely spurred me on and given me more motivation and the confidence that I can go and compete at big Games.”