Bly Twomey wins gold on return, Lowri Hurd takes bronze in Thailand

Bly Twomey marked her return to international competition with gold in women’s class 7 singles at the ITTF World Para Future in Nakhon Ratchasima, while Lowri Hurd finished with bronze in women’s class 9 to give British Para Table Tennis two medals in Thailand.

For Twomey, the result carried more weight than a routine podium finish. The European champion stepped back onto the international stage and went straight to the top of the class 7 field, a quick reminder that her name already sits near the sharp end of para table tennis. In a sport where class 7 can be crowded with experienced opponents and small margins decide the biggest matches, winning immediately on return is a strong sign that her level has not dipped.

The ITTF has described its World Para Circuit as completely reimagined in 2025, and Nakhon Ratchasima has quickly become one of the key stops on that calendar. Twomey’s gold fits that landscape neatly: this is the sort of event where ranking pressure, selection arguments and momentum all start to matter, especially for athletes trying to build toward bigger international targets later in the season.

Hurd’s bronze in women’s class 9 gave the British camp a second medal and broadened the story beyond one standout performance. Podium finishes at Future level often matter because they show a player can keep converting close matches against international opposition, and Hurd’s result adds another useful marker to England’s para programme in Thailand.

British Para Table Tennis said the singles tournament had now come to a close and that attention would shift to the ITTF World Para Elite Nakhon Ratchasima, where a 14-strong squad was set to begin competing on Saturday. That next step turns a productive trip into something even more telling, because it will show whether the medals from the Future event translate into deeper runs against a stronger field.

Twomey’s gold, Hurd’s bronze and the move straight into the Elite draw leave Britain with early momentum in Nakhon Ratchasima and two players carrying confidence into the next phase of the week.