Italian sports company MACRON have supported Para athlete Simon Heaps by way of supplying leisurewear to him as he bids to qualify for the 2022 Commonwealth Para Games.
Bologna based MACRON are now firmly established as a true global player in the active Sports marketplace. Although primarily known as a football brand they have now established themselves in many other sports including Rugby Union, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Running,
Established in Bologna in 1971 the company really became a global player in 2005 as they sought supply agreements outside of Italy. The rest is history as they now supply many of the leading teams and National Associations around the world in many sports.
Simon said ” I am so grateful to MACRON for supporting me in this way and I will wear their active leisure garments that they have supplied with pride “
British Para Table Tennis have reluctantly decided not to send athletes, funded or self funded, to the upcoming Czech Para Open in Ostrava in early July due to concerns over Covid protocols. The decision was not taken lightly but BPTT stressed that they were prioritising the health and wellbeing of all GB athletes and staff.
ITTF confirmed that the Czech Para Open will be played in Ostrava between 1st and 3rd July. Entries were open as from Tuesday 25th June. This will be the only official Para Open event prior to the .Paralympics in Tokyo. Although a F20 event it is sure to attract a strong field as players look to get important match practise prior to the Tokyo Games this summer. I am looking to take part in only my second International Para Open following my GB debut in December 2019.
ITTF have today postponed the Spanish Para Open that was due to take place at the end of June. Covid around the world have hit the Para Table Tennis Community in a hard way, playing wise, and there is now only one Open Para tournament scheduled before the ParaOlympics. That is the Czech Para Open in Ostrava, but it is rumoured that it is highly unlikely to take place. This leaves Paralympians unable to have any competitive match play prior to the Games unless they are qualifiers from the ” last chance” qualifying tournament in Slovenia in 4 weeks time.
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The ITTF have announced the cancellation of the Slovakia Para Open that was scheduled to take place in Bratislava from 9th to 12th June. there was also an International Training Camp due to take place from 2nd to 8th June and this has been cancelled also.Very disapointing again from my point of view as I have been practising very hard in readiness for the resumption of the ITTF Para Calendar but nothing can be done as this pandemic continues to cause havoc around the world some 15 months after the first outbreak in Wuhan, China.
On April 8th the ITTF Para made the following announcement:
Important changes to the Competition calendar for 2021. Slovenia Open, Thailand Open and Taichung Open have been cancelled. Paralympic WQT will be held in the planned dates.
Not great news for myself as I was planning on playing in the Thailand Open and the Taichung Open in Taipei.
British Para Table Tennis player, Simon Heaps, joins the BRIT Ambassador family
We are delighted that Simon has joined our BRIT Ambassador family.
Simon represented England in the 1970s, was European Cadet and English Jnr Champion, and returned to the sport in 2016. Following the amputation of his right leg, below the knee in 2019, Simon joined British Para Table Tennis from his hospital bed. At the age of 65, he is determined to represent England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“Since adapting to life with a disability, I have been determined to set goals and keep active to look after my mental health and wellbeing. I represented England in the 1970s and returned to the sport five years ago. However, post-amputation, in 2019, I was determined not to let this affect my love of playing table tennis and decided to join British Para Table Tennis.
At 65, I hope that my aim to represent England once more at the 2022 Commonwealth Para Games, gives a little hope to others and encourages them to take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge; no matter what their age,ability or disability. COVID-19 has been tough for the whole country and I have certainly felt low a number of times over the past year. Having a goal and keeping active has been so important to my mental wellbeing; I am sure that many University and College staff members, as well as their students, have found the pandemic challenging and the BRIT 2021 Challenge is a great way to feel-good and have fun.
Sadly, many charity challenges are often limited and not always fully inclusive. I applaud BRIT for designing their BRIT 2021 Challenge to be inclusive and enabling students and staff of all abilities to take part; by hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
Every UK University, College and Students Union have been invited to enter teams in the BRIT 2021 Challenge, promote the event and encourage their students and staff to participate. Once a team has registered, every student, young adult and staff membercan decide how much distance they want to add to their team’s 2,021 mile target; at home or on campus.
I hope that staff members, as well as students, will take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge to improve their mental health and fitness; all while raising vital funds for five mental heath charities who support student and young adult mental health.
I am delighted to be joining the BRIT Ambassador family and it would be a pleasure to support students and staff at the Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University as they take on the BRIT 2021 Challenge”.
Simon, from Milford on Sea near Lymington, was European Cadet Champion in 1970 and English Junior Champion in 1972 and won a string of other tournaments, including the Junior Boys’ Doubles title at the English Open in 1972/3, in partnership with Desmond Douglas. He went on to represent England as a senior before retiring in 1979.
He came back to the sport in 2016 and played in VETTS events, winning two gold medals at the Six Nations event in Guernsey representing England once again, competing in the European Vetts Championship in Sweden and finally becoming English Champion again at o/60 Doubles in 2018.
In 2019, Simon’s health deteriorated and as a result of Type 1 Diabetes (52 years), his right leg was amputated below the knee on May 29th.
He joined British Para Table Tennis from his hospital bed and arranged for a specialist wheelchair. Simon is being coached by Matt Ware; a top-20 player, ex International and World Championship qualifier.
At 65 years old, Simon’s short term ambition is to play for England at the Commonwealth Para Games in 2022 in Birmingham. If selected Simon would be in Class 3-5 Wheelchair Table Tennis at the Games, which is very competitive with GB Para Table Tennis players Jack Hunter-Spivey and Dan Bullen also competing for selection and currently above him in the ITTF Para World Rankings.
Simon is now training and will be entering International Para competitions in Slovakia, Thailand and Spain in June and Czech Republic and Taipei in July, representing GB Para Table Tennis, when restrictions for Para Table Tennis events are lifted, so that he can gain qualification and selection for the England team.
Finally got my new wheels for my Da Vinci Wheelchair that was delivered recently. The special spinergy wheels with Red/White/Blue spokes finished off the design and looks great. The new sports specific wheelchair was made to my specification and will improve safety and performance.
It would not have been possible without the financial help of Pilgrim Bandits the New Milton Military Charity and the JDM Food Group. Together they covered the cost of the new wheelchair and I will always be eternally grateful.
Proud to say that I have reached an agreement with local company WILL STONE – Gas Plumbing Heating to sponsor my car until the end of September 2022. They are based in Hordle, SO41, and cover the New Forest area for all of your Central Heating, Plumbing and Bathroom design needs. Their support means so much to me as I continue to self fund my dream and ambition. To achieve my goals I need the backing of local businesses and I am so grateful to Will for his faith in me and his financial support. To have local firms support me is a 2 way thing and the car advertising will attract attention in the local area.
Proud and honored to say that I have become a BRIT Ambassador for the British Inspiration Trust to help mental health issues with young adults. Focusing on the BRIT 2021 Challenge I will be working with students and staff at Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth
11/3/2021
Received my new sports specific wheelchair. A bespoke design and size built to my specification from Da Vinci Mobility in Liverpool. Thanks to the generosity of Pilgrim Bandits, a local military Charity based in New Milton, and the JDM Food Group I can now aim to compete with the very best in the world knowing that I have a wheelchair that is fit for purpose.
11/3/2021
Received a call from GB Para Head Coach and will be travelling with the GB Para Olympic Squad and playing in Slovakia, Thailand and Spain in June and then onto Czech Republic and Taipei in July to play in their International Para Opens.
13/2/2021
ITTF Para produce their 2021 Calendar for Para Tournaments around the World including the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. Competition play resumes and the dates are in place.
10/11/2020
Finally all of my shirt sponsors have been confirmed and printed shirts have arrived. Can’t wait to get them out there and support my sponsors once lockdown is relaxed and we can get back to playing TT again.
24/10/2020
With lockdown lifted it is the weekend of my 24 hour TT Marathon where I will be playing in my wheelchair for the full 24 hours. Honored that I have 7 players doing the Marathon with me in 2 x bubbles of 4 players. With Covid restrictions in place at The Grange School, Christchurch nobody else was allowed in the venue. We had such a laugh, playing in wheelchairs, with frying pans, left handed etc but we did it. I am so proud of everybody and we did not quite realize just how tough this challenge would be both physically and emotionally. Thanks go to Tesco New Milton who supplied fruit, water and biscuits, to Dominos for Saturday night pizzas and also McDonalds for their Sunday morning breakfast delivery.
Special mention to Ali Pearson, Alan Wood, Paul Nixon, Trudy Martin, Sorin Lakatos and Sophie and Laszlo Barcsai for their support. I could not have done it without you all.
3/9/2020
IWAS World Games – Thailand announce that the proposed World Games in December has now been officially cancelled due to Covid restrictions around the world.
15/1/2020
IWAS World Games announce postponement of Games until 2nd April because of Covid spreading around the world. This was also to be postponed and deferred until December 2020 when it would be expected for Covid to be over. How wrong we were !!!
28/12/2019
Approval received from GB Para for my entry to represent GB in the IWAS ( International Wheelchair Amputee Sports Federation ) World Games to be held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from 20th to 28th February. There will be over 3,500 disabled athletes from all over the world to compete in the 11 sports. I will be the only GB athlete from any sport and will literally be carrying the flag for GB.
12/12/2019
Costa Rica Para Open begins and although I thought I played well it soon became apparent to me that I had a lot to learn if I was to play at International level. These guys had been playing in wheelchairs for a long time and had tactical experience that I was still learning. I had losses against World Ranked No 45 ( Dan Bullen from GB ), No 33 ( Gerald Van Grunsven from Netherlands ), No 26 ( Kentaro Doi from Japan ) and No 19 ( Elias Romero from Argentina ).
In the Team event I only played one singles and that was against Turcio Reyes from Mexico who was actually World Ranked No 12 in his class at the time of the tournament to gain my first World Ranking points in my first Tournament.
A win against Mexico was followed with defeats against Japan and Chile and Dan and I failed to win a medal. We were close but ultimately results said we were not good enough.
All in all, a great trip, great experience and great teammates and something that I want to do again.
10/12/2019
Arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica after a long 27 hour trip with a flight change in New York. Very tired but good to see some sunshine, something that was not in the UK when I left at 3am over 27 hours earlier !!
Bag unpacked and my kit laid out on the spare bed, just shows what you need to compete at International level.
4/12/2019
My new GB kit has arrived and printed up ready for Costa Rica. Very proud and can’t wait to get it on my back in a few day’s time
25/11/2019
The second GB Para Tournament, in St Neots this weekend. Again a training day on the Saturday and the Tournament on the Sunday. Again came away with 2 x Silver Medals from the 2 singles events and proud of the way I played and had improved since the last event. Congratulations to England No 2 Dan Bullen for winning both Golds.
11/11/21
Got delivery of my mobility car and was so grateful that I did not have to rely on others for lifts anymore. Using an automatic with left foot accelerator is not the easiest at first but at last I have my own independence back again and feel like a “ free man”.
7/11/2019
Met with presenter Andrew Pate and ITV Meridian at The Grange School Christchurch when they filmed both myself and Matt for the 6pm evening news that was aired on Friday 8th November and announced that I would be making my GB Para debut in Costa Rica in mid December. Happy days
Played in my first VETTS ( over 40’s event ) in Wolverhampton for able bodied players and it was great to see lots of friends, first time since losing my leg, and I was overwhelmed by the warmth given. Had a really tough draw in the o/50’s event on the Saturday morning but actually came 3rd in my Group of 4 and beat a player that I had lost to the last time we had played when I was younger and had 2 legs. Qualified from my o/60’s Group with 2 wins and a loss in 5 games to one of the seeds and was chuffed to bits. Overall I won 6 matches and lost 6 during the weekend, which was very pleasing and great fun.
8/10/2019
Invited by GB Para to train for a couple of days with the Olympic Performance Squad at the GB Para Training Centre in Sheffield. This was fantastic and again I learned so much from the Coaches and other players. This has certainly whet my appetite for International competition.
29/9/2019
My first GB Para Tournament. After a training day with the other disabled players the Tournament was played on the Sunday. I was grateful to receive 2 x Silver Medals and a 3rd place from the 3 events that I played in, beating the World Ranked No 51 twice during the day. Great experience again and a good learning curve.
30/8/2019
Walking with my prosthetic leg and crutches after a hard training session with my Coach Matt and getting a well earned refreshment in a local Hostelry in Ferndown.
17/8/2019
When asked by Pauline what I would like for my 64th birthday she was gobsmacked when I asked if I could attend a weekend training camp in Sheffield that was for disabled players in particular and was being run by Advantage and two of GB Para’s Coaches. After a 7.5 hour trip on the Friday night and a great weekends play, and learning, the 4 hour trip back was not too bad. I learnt so much and made new friends. Needless to say that I was the oldest there by about 35 years !!
14/8/2019
A very special day for me and one that I had been working on for many weeks. To see my daughter Charlotte for my birthday celebrations and to be able to stand up and hold her with my prosthetic leg on as she had only seen me in my wheelchair previously.
21/7/2019
Practising at my Club, New Milton TTC, and was astounded to be presented with Club Person of the Year. Did not know anything about it but was very honored.
20/7/2019
Played my first competitive matches in my wheelchair when I represented the Poole Table Tennis League in their annual match v Okehampton Table Tennis Club down at their fantastic Club premises in Devon . Because of a last minute drop out I actually played for 2 of the 5 Poole teams in the matches and unbelievably won all my matches, against able bodied opponents and helped Poole win the Cup, the first time either organisation had won away from home. The only wheelchair player out of all 10 teams.
13/6/2019
Received my wheelchair from Da Vinci Mobility ( Liverpool ) at a Hotel in Salisbury. This was funded by a local Charity, The Steve Bernard Foundation, and was a wheelchair that was actually used in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. I am so grateful to the SBF and in particular Tony Bernard who actually said that if the Charity supported me then I would be approx 35 years older than anybody they had supported before.
Got my wheelchair home with Pauline and was playing in it less than 4 hours after collecting it, at the Dorset Table Tennis Centre with all of the top Dorset County Juniors, who I used to Coach. It was great to see them and of course Matt Ware who is to become my wheelchair Coach. Felt great to play my sport again albeit from a wheelchair but found it very difficult. to control the wheelchair !! Need to get some advice as to what I am doing wrong. Do I play with brakes on or brakes off !! Help
4/6/2019
Discharged from Hospital, returned home to our first floor flat, without a lift, and soon had to realize how to get up and downstairs on my backside if I wanted to get out !!
31/5/2019
Joined GB Para Table Tennis from my Hospital bed
29/5/2019
RBKA , Right Below Knee Amputation, the harsh reality of a simple felt pen !!
Below the knee amputation at Bournemouth Hospital, life changing but the journey had begun
28/5/2019
The dreaded news from my Consultant that I was about to lose my right leg the following day. It was my wife Pauline’s birthday, one that she and I will never forget. Too late to dwell on the thought that I would never walk unaided again. I had prepared myself for this news from the Surgeon but was hoping that it could be saved. How wrong I was.
19/4/2019
Simon Heaps GB Para Table Tennis player, right toe amputated which would result in losing my leg below the knee 4 weeks later.
Admitted to Poole Hospital, for what I thought would be the loss of one toe. Transferred to Bournemouth Hospital a week later to specialist ward under the Vascular team of Surgeons.
gobsmacked when I asked if I could attend a weekend training camp in Sheffield that was for disabled players in particular and was being run by Advantage and two of GB Para’s Coaches. After a 7.5 hour trip on the Friday night and a great weekends play, and learning, the 4 hour trip back was not too bad. I learnt so much and made new friends. Needless to say that I was the oldest there by about 35 years !!
