Sam Walker (table tennis)

{{Infobox table tennis player

| name= Sam Walker

| image = Sam Walker WTTC2016 7.jpeg

| imagesize=

| caption = Walker in 2016

| full_name =Samuel Jake Walker

| residence = Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|5|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England

| playingstyle =

| highest_rank = 80 (January 2018){{cite web|url=https://ranking.ittf.com/#/rankings/progress/114718/SEN/M;SINGLES|title=ITTF World Ranking|website=ittf.com|access-date=1 July 2023}}

| height = 1.83 m

| weight = 72 kg

| show-medals =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}}

}}

Samuel Jake Walker (born 7 May 1995) is a British table tennis player.{{cite web |url=http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/squash/1022311/sam_walker.html|title=Sam Walker |access-date=10 October 2014 |website=glasgow2014.com|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044117/http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/squash/1022311/sam_walker.html|archive-date=4 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://results.european-games.org/EG2023/ENG/bios/1004973|title=WALKER Samuel Jake|website=european-games.org|access-date=1 July 2023}}

Career

Walker competed for England in the men's team event at the 2014 Commonwealth Games{{cite news|title=Worksop's Sam Walker named in Team England table tennis squad for Glasgow|work=nottinghampost.com|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/Commonwealth-Games-2014-Worksop-s-Sam-Walker/story-21193230-detail/story.html|date=5 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608024222/https://www.nottinghampost.com/Commonwealth-Games-2014-Worksop-s-Sam-Walker/story-21193230-detail/story.html|archive-date=8 June 2014}} where he won a silver medal.{{cite news|title=Walker is happy with the silver medal but wants gold in 2018|work=worksopguardian.co.uk|url=http://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/sport/local-sport/worksop-walker-is-happy-with-the-silver-medal-but-wants-gold-in-2018-1-6756370|date=30 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020070607/http://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/sport/local-sport/worksop-walker-is-happy-with-the-silver-medal-but-wants-gold-in-2018-1-6756370|archive-date=20 October 2014}}

In March 2016, Walker was part of the England team, alongside Liam Pitchford and Paul Drinkhall, which won bronze medals at the World Team Championships in Malaysia, England's first medal at that level since 1983 and the first time a newly promoted team had earned a podium place at the event.{{cite web |url=http://ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=43396&Competition_ID=2587& |title=Sensation, Promoted England Stuns France to Reach Semi-Final |website=ittf.com |accessdate=2016-03-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306190545/http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=43396&Competition_ID=2587& |archive-date=6 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}

In June 2016, Walker was called up to the Team GB table tennis squad for the Rio Olympic Games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.teamgb.com/news/sam-walker-added-to-table-tennis-squad-for-rio-2016|title = Sam Walker added to table tennis squad for Rio 2016|website=teamgb.com|date=2 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409033310/https://www.teamgb.com/article/sam-walker-added-to-table-tennis-squad-for-rio-2016/5l2Pvw8nQozAWrcmhxbxNi|archive-date=9 April 2023}} He featured in the team competition, sealing a 3–2 victory over France in the first round {{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37066799|title=GB fight back to advance in team event|work=BBC Sport|date=13 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130051656/https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37066799|archive-date=30 November 2021}} before GB were knocked out by China in the quarter-finals.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37077852|title=China knock out GB men's team in quarters|work=BBC Sport|date=14 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130053150/https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37077852|archive-date=30 November 2021}}

In February 2018, Walker was part of the England squad alongside Paul Drinkhall, Liam Pitchford, David McBeath and Tom Jarvis which won bronze medals by reaching the semi-finals of the ITTF Team World Cup in front of a home crowd at the Copper Box Arena in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.ittf.com/2018/02/23/england-reaches-semi-final-copper-box-erupts/?from=2|title=England reaches semi-final Copper Box erupts|website=ittf.com|date=23 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518020423/https://www.ittf.com/2018/02/23/england-reaches-semi-final-copper-box-erupts/?from=2|archive-date=18 May 2021}}

At the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018, Walker was part of the England squad which won men's team bronze, alongside Paul Drinkhall, Liam Pitchford and David McBeath.{{cite web|url=https://www.ittf.com/2018/04/09/england-secures-bronze-paul-drinkhall-sets-example/?from=4|title=England secures bronze, Paul Drinkhall sets example|website=ittf.com|date=9 April 2018}} and was fourth in the men's singles, having been defeated in the bronze medal match.{{Cite web|url=https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/news/archived/silver-for-liam-and-tin-tin/|title=Silver for Liam and Tin-Tin; Sam misses out|website=Table Tennis England|date=15 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618205359/https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/news/archived/silver-for-liam-and-tin-tin/|archive-date=18 June 2018}}

In 2021, Walker became the first English player to win a doubles title on the international circuit since the advent of the ITTF World Tour in 1996, when he and Sweden's Truls Moregard won the men's doubles at the Czech Open.{{cite web|url=https://www.tabletennisengland.co.uk/historic-moment-for-walker-after-doubles-victory/|title=Historic moment for Walker after doubles victory|date=25 August 2021|website=Table Tennis England}}

At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Walker won team bronze alongside Liam Pitchford, Paul Drinkhall and Tom Jarvis.{{cite web|url=https://www.tabletennisengland.co.uk/england-bag-a-bronze-with-flawless-display/|title=England bag a bronze with flawless display|date=2 August 2022|website=Table Tennis England}} In 2024, he won a 2nd men's doubles and 6th mixed doubles title at the English National Table Tennis Championships, held at the David Ross Sports Village in Nottingham.{{cite web |url=https://www.tabletennisengland.co.uk/sevens-heaven-for-drinkhall-and-its-six-of-the-best-for-ho/ |title=Seven's heaven for Drinkhall and it's six of the best for Ho |website=Table Tennis England |date=24 March 2024 |access-date=25 March 2024}}