By Paul Osborne

The 2014 ITTF Para World Championships are due to get underway in Beijing tomorrow ©ITTFBeijing will host more than 300 athletes over the next week as the Chinese capital prepares to host the 2014 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Para World Championships.

Held every four years, the event is the pinnacle of the Para-table tennis calendar, bringing together the world's elite players in an eight-day competition format.

The upcoming edition is set to be the biggest in the competition's history with a total of 630 participants from 48 countries, including umpires, officials, and 314 athletes all battling it out for the gold medals in both singles and team events.

Topping the billing will be Poland's three-time Paralympic champion Natalia Partyka, arguably the most recognisable Para-table tennis player in the world

The 25-year-old made history at Beijing 2008 as she became the first Para-table tennis player to compete at the Olympic Games, and was in action again at London 2012.

The class 10 category player also made an appearance at the able-bodied World Championships in Tokyo earlier this year.

Amazingly, the Pole made her first appearance at a Paralympic Games at Sydney 2000 when she was just 11-years-old.

Natalia Partyka made history at Beijing 2008 when she became the first Para-table tennis player to compete at the Olympic Games, a trend she continued at London 2012 ©Getty ImagesNatalia Partyka made history at Beijing 2008 when she became the first Para-table tennis player to compete at the Olympic Games, a trend she continued at London 2012
©Getty Images




Hoping to excite the home crowds will be two-time Paralympic and World Champion Ma Li, looking to defend his class 9 title on home soil.

"This is my third World Championships, I see it very importantly," he said.

"In 2006 and 2010, I won the title in class 9, so naturally I would like to win it for the third time.

"I have high expectation to myself, after all, the World Championship is the game with the most elite players. I am always at ease.

"The best mental status is very important to an athlete, so I will try to adjust it to the best, hopefully my performance won't let anyone down, including myself."

The Championships are set to get underway tomorrow and are due to run through until September 15 inside the National Para Training Centre in the Chinese capital.

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