(posted 8022 days ago)Table tennis star's wish
May 10 2002South London Press
A TABLE tennis player has come out of retirement to take part in the disabled world championship in Taiwan.Dzaier Neil, 44, from Kennington, became world number two in her disability class at her peak.
Now, eight years after quitting, she has got to world number 11 in four months since taking up the sport again.
The championship is usually open only to the world’s top 10 in her disability class, but she has been drafted in after another player pulled out.
Despite taking part in the Olympics and the world championships in the past, she had to start from scratch to get her world ranking back.
Dzaier, who has a long-term spine injury, found out she was selected only last month and, without Lottery funding, is desperately trying to get up to £10,000 funding before the start of the tournament in August.
Dzaier – who also plays in able-bodied competitions – has to pay for everything, even down to her Great Britain tracksuit.
If she does not raise the cash, she will not be able to go to the tournament.
She said: “Lambeth gets a really bad press and a lot of us are good people doing lots of good things.
“Not only is it an honour for me to be representing Great Britain, but I am also representing a positive side of Lambeth.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring Dzaier can contact the South London Press on 020-8710 6443.