Leibovitz Concludes Seventh Paralympic Appearance in the Round of 16

Paris, France – In the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Tahl Leibovitz represented Team USA in his seventh Paralympic appearance. The 49 year old and veteran Paralympian faced Ivan Mai of Ukraine in the Men's Singles Class 9 Round of 16 but was defeated in three straight games.

In game two the score was close, but in game one and three, Leibovitz withstood an early onslaught from the Ukrainian, where Mai started off with five and six point lead. Leibovitz's notable resilience allowed him to fight back and challenge for the first two games. However, Mai's consistency and sharp play kept Leibovitz at bay, ultimately leading to a win in the final game 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-6). Mai now advances to the Men’s Class 9 semifinals, where he will face Ander Sepas of Spain.

“It happens, sometimes you get 10-4, it’s bad, but it’s a part of table tennis. I’ve been down like that too, and came back. If I won the second game, then it's different. I played safe, I needed to put a little more pressure on [Mai],” Lebovitz reflected after the match.

Despite the loss, Leibovitz showed no signs of slowing down as a competitor at Paris 2024. His flashes of brilliance were highlighted by precise and powerful shots that often caught Mai off guard.

Leibovitz began his historic Paralympic journey with a gold and bronze medal at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games. It seems fitting that we may see him once again at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, and potentially, closing out an inspiring career on home soil.