Rio 2016 Olympics: Sam von Einem grabs Australia’s first table tennis medal in 32 years

HE learnt the game against the backdrop of Abu Dhabi’s golden sand, but table tennis player Sam von Einem says silver is his new favourite colour.

Sam von Einem pushed hard but ended up with silver.

HE learnt the game against the backdrop of Abu Dhabi’s golden sand, but table tennis player Sam von Einem says silver is his new favourite colour.

The 21-year-old narrowly lost a thrilling gold-medal playoff in his TT11 table tennis class, falling by three sets to two against world No. 1, Belgian Florian van Acker.

It was Australia’s first Paralympics medal of any colour in table tennis in 32 years, ending a drought dating back to 1984.

“It’s been a long time since we won a medal in table tennis,” he said.

“I’m disappointed not to get gold, but silver is still great.

Sam von Einem gave world No.1 Florian van Acker a tough fight.

“I’ve never beaten Florian before, I’ve never run him that close before, so I’m really quite happy with that performance.

“That would be the highest (achievement) in my table tennis career, so happy to bring out my best in this comp.

“It only comes around every four years and I made a good fist of it. I fell a bit short, but still very proud.”

Von Einem was introduced to table tennis as a child, when his family was living in Abu Dhabi under a working secondment for his father, an engineer.

He had been a regular tennis player, but the scorching conditions in the United Arab Emirates meant outdoor sport became virtually impossible to play.

Instead, he turned to table tennis.

Von Einem, ranked sixth in the world, said the runner-up finish had exceeded his own expectations.

“I just wanted to get a medal really,” he said.

“When I made the final I was so happy. I wanted to have a red-hot crack at gold, and feel like I’ve done that.

“I’m definitely looking forward to Tokyo, coming back bigger, better, stronger.”

Von Einem, classified for intellectual impairment through autism, dropped the opening set but rallied in the high-pressure second.

An advantageous touch on the net at 16-16 proved a crucial turning point in the match.

Sam von Einem led two sets to one before falling in five.

The lucky break gave the Adelaide student set point, and he closed it on serve the following point.

He then powered through the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five-sets decider.

Van Acker responded in the fourth, putting on an 11-5 blitz, and built a three-point lead early in the final set that von Einem could not cut back.

“That (second) set meant a lot,” he said.

“If I’d lost that set I’d have been two sets to love down, who knows what could have happened. I could have got rolled in straight sets.

“I fought hard, won that set, and the next one which was also pretty tight.

“I put pressure on him, I made him lift to his best — he’s world No. 1 for a reason, and he showed that.”

Originally published as Rio 2016 Olympics: Sam von Einem grabs Australia’s first table tennis medal in 32 years