Jake Ballestrino (born 27 July 1991) is an Australian Paralympic table tennis player. He represented Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[1]

Jake Ballestrino
Jake Ballestrino in 2019
Personal information
NicknameJakey B
NationalityAustralian
Born (1991-07-27) 27 July 1991 (age 33)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportTable Tennis
ClubGeelong Table Tennis Association

Personal

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Ballestrino was born on 27 July 1991.[2] From birth he has an upper limb deficiency or a bilateral deformation of the upper limbs.[3] He is a graphic artist, having completed an Advanced Diploma in Interactive Digital media.[3] In 2021, he is a Community Educator at Scope Australia.[2]

Table tennis

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He is classified as a C7 Para-table tennis player. He started as a right-hander but changed to left hand after he broke his arm. He took up Para-table tennis in 2012 and first represented Australia in 2013.[2]

In 2017, he won the silver medal in the Men's Singles C6 class at the Oceania Championships.[2]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he lost three matches in the Men's C7 and with Trevor Hirth lost in the quarter-finals of Men's Team C6-7.[4]

He has played for the Laverton Magpies Football Club and softball for the Pirates in Werribee where he also coaches and umpires.[3][5]

References

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  1. ^ "Para-Table Tennis Squad's Tokyo Build-Up A 'Brilliant Example Of Teamwork'". Paralympics Australia. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Jake Ballestrino". Paralympics Australia. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Inspirational Jake is breaking down barriers". Sport Inclusion Australia. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Jake Ballestrino". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Jake has Rio in his sights". Star Community. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
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