Kelly van Zon (born 15 September 1987 in Oosterhout, Netherlands) is a Dutch table tennis player competing in both disabled and able-bodied competitions. She currently plays for Dutch club TTV SKF in Veenendaal. She competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in Women's individual class 7, winning a gold medal, and in Women's team class 6–8, winning a silver medal.[1]

Kelly van Zon
Kelly van Zon in 2011
Personal information
Nationality Netherlands
ResidenceDongen, Netherlands
Born (1987-09-15) 15 September 1987 (age 37)
Oosterhout, Netherlands
Height1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Weight57 kg (126 lb; 9.0 st)
Table tennis career
Playing styleShakehand, offensive
Equipment(s)TIBHAR
ClubTTV SKF, Veenendaal
Medal record
Women's table tennis
Representing the  Netherlands
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London Singles class 7
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles class 7
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Singles class 7
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Singles Class 7
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Team class 6-8
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing Singles class 6/7
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Gwangju Singles class 7
Silver medal – second place 2006 Montreux Singles class 6/7
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Genoa Singles class 6/7
Gold medal – first place 2011 Split Singles class 7
Silver medal – second place 2005 Liso di Jesolo Singles class 6/7
Silver medal – second place 2011 Split Team class 6/7
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Kranjska Gora Singles 6/7
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Genoa Team class 6–8

Biography

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Van Zon began playing table tennis at the age of nine[2] at TTV BSM Dongen. She made her international debut at the 2002 Malmö Open in Sweden. Due to a functional disability of her left hip and leg she competes in Class 7 competitions. Besides competing at a top level in table tennis, she studies Marketing and Communication at Johan Cruijff College in Nijmegen, which allows her to successfully combine sport and studies. Van Zon's old club in Dongen named their practice hall after her, the Kelly Van Zon Sportszaal.[3]

By winning the title at the 2011 European Championships in Split, Croatia, she qualified directly for the London 2012 Paralympics.[4] At those Paralympic Games, she won gold by defeating the Russian Yulia Ovsyannikova. In 2016, she added to her Paralympic titles by winning the final and defeating the Turkish Kubra Korkut.[5]

Van Zon was strongly tipped for the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics.[2][6]

Career records

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Paralympic Games

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  2008 Beijing, China: Women's Singles Class 6/7

  2012 London, England: Women's Singles Class 7

  2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Women's Singles Class 7

  2020 Tokyo, Japan: Women's Singles Class 7

  2020 Tokyo, Japan: Women's Team Class 6-8

  2024 Paris, France: Women's Singles Class 7[7]

World Championships

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  2006 Montreux, Switzerland: Women's Singles Class 6/7

  2010 Gwangju, Korea: Women's Singles Class 7

European Championships

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  2005 Liso di Jeolo, Italy: Women's Singles Class 6/7

  2007 Kranjska Gora, Slovenia: Women's Singles Class 6/7

  2009 European Championships, Genoa: Women's Singles Class 6/7

  2009 Genoa, Italy: Women's Team Class 6–8

  2011 European Championships, Split: Women's Singles Class 7[8]

  2011 Split, Croatia: Women's Team Class 6/7

References

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  1. ^ "Table Tennis van ZON Kelly". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Sport Week: Ones to watch for Para table tennis". Paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Homepage". TTV BSM. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Qualification criteria for the 2012 Paralympic Games" (PDF). ITTF.com. International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Dutch table tennis star Kelly van Zon ready for the unknown at Tokyo 2020". Paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Kelly van Zon guides Netherlands to final". ITTF.com. International Table Tennis Federation. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  7. ^ Dong, Sophia (5 September 2024). "Kelly van Zon Claims Fourth Consecutive Paralympic Gold in Thrilling Class 7 Final". International Table Tennis Federation. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Kelly Van Zon". ipttc.org. ITTF Para Table Tennis. 14 November 2011. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
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