Kelly Sibley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kelly Sibley |
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Kelly Sibley at the Pro B French Championships in 2006
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Kelly Michelle Sibley | ||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  England |
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| Residence | Nottingham | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 May 1988 Leamington Spa, England |
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| Playing style | Right Hand Attacking Shakehand | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Kelly Sibley (born May 21, 1988) is a former professional table tennis player from England. She is now a coach. Kelly won many titles as a junior player, including singles and doubles. She also played for England in big competitions like the Commonwealth Games, European Championships, and World Championships.
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Early Life and Training
Kelly Sibley started playing table tennis when she was 8 years old. She joined the Lillington Free Church table tennis club in Lillington, Leamington Spa. Her mother, Lynn Bolitho, also played table tennis at a high level and inspired Kelly.
In 2000, Kelly represented England at the English Schools Championships. This was an early sign of her talent.
When she was 13, Kelly was invited to live and train at the National Training Centre in Nottingham. There, she was coached by Alan Cooke. Later, she moved to the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield to continue her training.
Competing for England
Kelly represented England at the Commonwealth Games multiple times. She competed in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006 and in Delhi, India, in 2010. In Delhi, her team finished in fourth place.
Commonwealth Games Medals
At the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Kelly won her first medal. She earned a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event with her partner, Danny Reed.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Kelly won another bronze medal. This time, it was in the women's team event. Her team beat Australia in the play-off game to secure the medal.
Other International Achievements
Kelly also won a bronze medal in the Ladies Doubles at the 2009 Commonwealth Championships. In 2013, she earned a team silver medal at the Commonwealth Championships.
In 2008, she helped the England Women's team win a Division Two Gold Medal at the World Team Championships in China.
At the 2011 European Championships in Poland, Kelly won 10 matches in a row. This helped the England Women's team move up to the top division.
Olympic Dream
Kelly Sibley faced challenges with funding for her training. However, it was announced on May 30, 2012, that she would compete in the London 2012 Olympics. She played in the team event but lost to North Korea in the first round.
National Titles
Kelly has won many national titles in England. She won singles championships at Cadet, Junior, Under 21, and Senior levels. She also won girls' doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles titles.
In March 2015, Kelly won the women's singles national championship. She was the runner-up in this event for the next two years.
Retirement and Coaching
In June 2015, Kelly was part of the Great Britain table tennis team. They competed at the first European Games in Baku.
Shortly after the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Kelly announced she was retiring from playing table tennis professionally. She decided to focus on her new job as the head coach at the University of Nottingham.
During her playing career, Kelly was sponsored by local companies like Wright Hassell and Building and Plumbing Supplies. In 2011, she was also sponsored by the sports betting site OLBG.com.
Personal Life
Kelly Sibley married her wife, Laura, in April 2017. They met after the 2012 Summer Olympics. Laura proposed to Kelly while they were visiting The Shard and looking at St Paul's Cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Kelly Sibley para niños
- List of England players at the World Team Table Tennis Championships
