Ian Kent of Eastern Passage, NS lost his first match at the 2008 Paraylmpic Games in Beijing, China in Table Tennis.

Kent is the owner of Soccer Pro in Halifax and Dartmouth. He also guided Dalhousie University to its first CIAU National Soccer Championship in 1995.

Ian Kent began playing table tennis at age 11 at home. A year later, he read about a tournament and entered it.

Table tennis has been in Kent’s blood for 32 years. He was on Canada’s national able-bodied junior table tennis team and placed second in Canada’s under-13 singles competition

In 1999, at the age of 39 he woke up ‘twisted and contorted,” lost 45 pounds over three months and was subsequently diagnosed with dystonia. He began playing table tennis again in 2001, but he didn’t immediately consider playing against other athletes with a physical disability. In 2002, he won the men’s open at the Atlantic Canada Championships for able-bodied athletes

He chalks up his success in table tennis to an intense desire to win, grit and determination. Kent is known as a "smart" player. He also coached Canada’s national table tennis team from 1985-1991, which helped him develop game strategies.

Sport: Table Tennis
Date of Birth: July 4, 1961
Residence: Eastern Passage, N.S.
Disability: Dystonia
Profession: Owner, Soccer Pro
National Team Member: 2004

MATCH RESULTS

GLIKMAN Zeev (ISR) 3-1 KENT Ian (CAN)

GLIKMAN Zeev ISR 3 11 11 8 11

KENT Ian CAN 1 5 8 11 5

Duration 28min 4min 5min 4min 4min

MEN'S INDIVIDUAL CLASS 8

ROUND ROBIN

PEKING UNIVERSITY GYMNASIUM

SUN 7 SEP 2008 11:20