Champion Para and SASI athlete Sam von Einem's diversity on the sporting arena was on show again with a bronze medal in table tennis at the recent Slovenia Para Open and a major award at the Tennis SA awards night

OUTSTANDING athlete Sam von Einem again showed he was a key player in the Australian Para table tennis team's push towards qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Sam, a member of SASI's Individual Athlete Scholarships program, recently won a bronze medal with the Australian team at the international Slovenia Para Open. Competing in the Class 11 men's teams' event Sam's medal saw the team finish with two gold medals and one bronze. During that tournamnet Sam reversed his singles loss in the quarter final to Spain's Cuesta Martinez to beat him 3-1 in the teams' event.

Sam was thrilled with his and the team's results.

"I was happy to have walked away with a bronze medal in the teams' event in what was a very strong tournament," Sam said.

"I'm looking forward to the Japan Open in August.''

The team's results, coupled with the Oceania Para Championship earlier in the year, kicked off a top start to the Tokyo 2020 qualification period.

The Australian team is now preparing for the next two international events - the Bangkok and Japan Para open - both in August, 2019.

Sam, a Henley South Tennis Club member, also won the Most Outstanding Athlete withh a Disability Award at the recent Tennis SA awards night after a dominant 2018/19 season.

Sam, of Glengowrie, was a silver medallist at the Rio Paralympics and a bronze medallist at the 2018 ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championship in Lasko-Celje, Slovenia.

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