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Knight Hopes Tale of Adversity Inspires the Next Generaon of Table Tennis StarsAdrian Black - 9th December 2011 Amidst the hundreds of youngsters in the stunning surroundings of the Business Design Centre in Angel is one man hoping to inspire the next generaon of table tennis hopefuls. Darius Knight is the perfect example of how sport can help transform a life. Growing up in a rough estate in Baersea, not even his closest friends or family would have be-lieved that he would be in with a very real chance of represenng Great Britain at the London Olympics.

Table tennis is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, with the recent Fred Perry Urban Cup aracng some Table tennis is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, with the recent Fred Perry Urban Cup aracng some 100,000 youngsters from across the country to parcipate. To many of these teenagers, Knight represents the prime example of how far the sport can take you.

However, it has not been an easy journey for the 21-year-old. Knight recently lost his funding and admied that he is heavily relying on the support of his coaches, friends and family to fund his dream of represenng his country at a home Olympics in 2012.

“I’m really struggling at the minute,” explains the Londoner. “Everyone is helping me out by lending me money and “I’m really struggling at the minute,” explains the Londoner. “Everyone is helping me out by lending me money and without them I wouldn’t be able to compete. It is tough as I have been achieving the right results and we have been a bit unlucky with funding.

“I am trying to move abroad where I can find a cheaper lifestyle. The plan is to move to Austria as I am heading there in January to do some training and hopefully I can find a club while I’m there.”

The prospect of moving abroad at such a young age would perhaps be daunng for the vast majority of young men, The prospect of moving abroad at such a young age would perhaps be daunng for the vast majority of young men, yet Knight is not the type to give up in the face of adversity. At 15-years-old he decided to quit school, a decision that did not sit well with his mum who gave him an ulmatum; return to his studies of find somewhere else to live.

Knight, who was the European number two in his age category, decided to move to Bristol where he lived on a friend’s sofa for the next two years. His connued success at youth level brought sponsorship and the opportunity to earn a living playing the sport he so clearly loves.

“I got my first sponsorship deal at fieen and within a couple of years I started to receive funding and was able to “I got my first sponsorship deal at fieen and within a couple of years I started to receive funding and was able to move to Sheffield with the rest of the Brish team. It was a great opportunity, but to be perfectly honest I did get a bit complacent. I certainly didn’t realise how easy I had it unl the funding was taken away.”

Knight is brutally honest in reflecng on his career to date. He realises that he has made some mistakes, but is deterKnight is brutally honest in reflecng on his career to date. He realises that he has made some mistakes, but is deter-mined to help the next generaon have the best opportunity possible of becoming a success. The club in Baersea where Knight learned his trade has long since been destroyed and he is aware that the youngsters on his old estate will struggle to stay out of trouble.

“Society has got to help kids and provide facilies for them,” tells Knight, who speaks with passion about inspiring “Society has got to help kids and provide facilies for them,” tells Knight, who speaks with passion about inspiring young table tennis players. “We need more academies and incenves to keep them interested in the sport.

(Arcle liked by over 3000 people on FB).

A lot of my friends got bored and I was extremely lucky to not get involved in drugs or crime.

“It meant everything to me to receive even £20 for making the quarter-final of a tournament, but there are teenag-ers on my old estate making twice that amount selling drugs. You have to keep them smulated and show them that they can make a success of themselves.”

Knight is currently ranked 261st in the world and his best opportunity of making Team GB is via one of the host Knight is currently ranked 261st in the world and his best opportunity of making Team GB is via one of the host naon places given out by Brish selectors to make up the male squad. While many athletes dream of personal glory, it seems the likeable young star is determined to use the occasion to capture the imaginaon

“Everybody in south London knew me because of my family and there was an expectaon that I would make the same mistakes they did. I saw things I really shouldn’t have when I was young, but I don’t smoke, I rarely drink and the Olympics is just a great way to inspire people.”

Should Knight be one of the fortunate athletes handed the chance to compete in London then he will have his mum Should Knight be one of the fortunate athletes handed the chance to compete in London then he will have his mum to thank. Not only was she the one responsible for seng him on the straight and narrow, she is the sole reason he dedicated himself to the sport.

“I’ve never really admied this before but the main reason I got into the sport is that my mum had aspiraons of me becoming a dancer,” he reveals. “She used to take me to a dance school, but I wasn’t the best mover so when I got bored I would watch the kids playing table tennis.

“Then when I got slightly beer I used to come home from tournaments and I would actually be crying asking her “Then when I got slightly beer I used to come home from tournaments and I would actually be crying asking her why I kept losing. Luckily she helped convince me to sck with it.”

With a number of youth tles already to his name, Knight knows that to truly be an inspiraon then he must con-nue to improve and gain more media aenon. This of course would be most easily achieved by performing well at the Olympics. It is no simple task, but the charismac youngster with a remarkable story has already overcome many obstacles. It would certainly not shock anyone should he cause an upset in London next year.

Hello there!

My name is Darius Knight, I'm 21 from Battersea, in South London and I play Table Tennis. I'm your ‘average’ teenager traveling around the world alone, competing in country to country, continent to continent and club to club.

Table tennis is a sport that I chose because I wasn't very good at it among Table tennis is a sport that I chose because I wasn't very good at it among my friends, and at the age of 10 it annoyed me that I wasn't the best at it as I was used to being great at all the other sports. As time went on I got better and better and a year later, I started getting good.

I went from crying from losing every match, to today, where I'm now win-ning. I trained everyday for about 4-5 hours after school to get better and better to beat my friends.

Doing that from a young age I clearly didn't have time to grow up, so now in my spare time I love playing computer games, watching cartoons and animations, playing with my little brother as he's only 2, its not often I see him so wherever I am in the world I try to get him a little present to show him where I've been.

In my short career I have won national titles for under 18 and 21's numerIn my short career I have won national titles for under 18 and 21's numer-ous times; european titles for under 15 and under 18 singles, team, dou-bles and mixed; youth olympic medals too in doubles and team, british champion twice in singles 2010, 2011; commonwealth games silver me-dalist in new delhi (team) so I have had a some success nationally and in-ternational I’m still only 21.A Table Tennis player’s career goes up to maybe 35-40 and I’m far from my best!

I'm a very modest person and down to earth. I love helping anyone and everyone but most of all what I can offer a company is inspiration, motiva-tion and dedication. I'm comfortable in speaking in loud groups or small groups kids or adults, I may go a little bit red if thats possible but I really enjoy all situations, both working with companies as well as people.

So with me as your representative, you cant LOSE!So with me as your representative, you cant LOSE!