Table tennis proves to be a smash hit for Ian

In 2015, former Royal Engineer Ian Murphy was doing his 75th skydive when he was involved in an accident that led to the amputation of his right leg below the knee.

In the months that followed, angry at himself and with his confidence stripped away, Ian isolated himself from everyone.

“I didn’t adjust well,” said the 55 year old from Nottingham.

“I shut down and refused any help. It took me 18 months after I was discharged from hospital to stop crying! I was on a very steep downward spiral and, by 2018, I’d ballooned in weight. I was very immobile through my hips and had ill-fitting prosthetics.”

Everything changed during a visit from a close friend when Ian asked for help and his friend suggested a game of table tennis.

“I was horrendous at it! I had no lateral movement at all and I got thrashed, but something just clicked. As well as being good exercise, I loved the competitive spirit and the social aspect of it,” said Ian.

“It wasn’t just hitting a white plastic ball over a net, there were tactics involved; you have to concentrate on your opponent’s position and how they serve. I’m in the moment when I play.”

Over the last two years, Ian has been improving his game, has lost weight, and has even hired a coach. He joined a veterans’ table tennis group in 2019 and was on the cusp of competing in a tournament when COVID-19 struck.

“Initially, I just wanted to beat my friend, but the more table time I got, the more passionate I became. If the game could help me so much, physically and psychologically, I wondered how it could help other veterans. Currently, there isn’t an adaptive league, but I’m trying to spread the word and would love to see it included in the Invictus Games. I’ve shared my vision with able-bodied and adaptive players, and they are really supportive of my mission. I want to take this as far as I can."