After three consecutive Paralympic titles Kelly has the opportunity to win her fourth title, what really an extraordinary achievement would be. Her opponent was (again) the Turkish player Kubra Korkut, who won the last three matches from Kelly. Kelly lost her European and World title the last two years and also at the exhibition WTT tournament in Singapore Kelly was not able to win.
The start of the match was in favor of Kubra, who easily won the first two games. Also in the third game Kelly faced a score of 3-7 and Kubra was virtually only 4 points away from her first Paralympic title. Point by point Kelly worked her way through this difficult game and finally she managed to win this game by 11-8. Kelly really came back in the game, by good serving, smart shots and fighting for every single point and also in the fourth game she turned the outcome into her favor: after 10-10 she won by 12-10. It was obvious that the last game would not be won by the most technical player but by the one with the strongest mentality. Little by little Kelly extended her lead and ultimately won by 11-7 and became Paralympic champion again!
Winning the fourth consecutive Paralympic title is an immense achievement, but the way she fought back from a hopeless situation is even more legendary. To do this in front of about 8.000 spectators and lots of Dutch family, friends, (old) table tennis team mates and supporters is a precious and unforgettable moment. Also via this website, Kelly wants to thank all the people who have supported her, not only during this Paralympic Games but also during her whole career.
