Book lover Shackleton ready to write Paralympic story

Megan Shackleton says she has been "smiling for weeks" after earning her last-gasp place in the table tennis competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

The 25-year-old from Halifax will compete for ParalympicsGB in the women's singles and mixed doubles after earning a spot through the bipartite commission - effectively a wildcard spot -having failed to progress through the qualifying competition.

She forms part of an 11-strong GB squad for Paris, which includes Paralympic gold medallists Will Bayley and Rob Davies.

The team is completed by Tokyo medallists Shackleton, Paul Karabardak, Aaron McKibbin, Billy Shilton and Tom Matthews, Commonwealth champion and world runner-up Joshua Stacey, as well as three new Paralympians in world and European medallist Martin Perry, doubles champion Fliss Pickard and 14-year-old Bly Twomey.

And Shackleton, who won bronze in 2021 in the women's doubles alongside Susan Bailey, is determined not to let this second chance slip.

"My face is aching from smiling, I am so over the moon. It has been a rollercoaster over the last 18 months," she told BBC Sport.

"I've been going to as many competitions as possible to get ranking points, I came third in the qualifying tournament which was not enough. I had processed I wasn't going to Paris.

"So I am more grateful than ever, it is a huge honour to represent ParalympicsGB. Now it is starting to feel real."

Shackleton was hampered by a change in the qualification process for these Paralympics. For Tokyo 2020, the top six in the world rankings qualified for singles automatically, but for Paris 2024 this was reduced to the top three with the remaining places earned by regional champions.

But while this forced Shackleton to fly from Texas to Thailand and everywhere in between to try and qualify, she says this rigorous schedule has made her more prepared than ever.

Shackleton is also used to fighting against the odds to achieve her sporting dreams.

Growing up, she was a keen swimmer with dreams of the Olympics. Aged nine, she went to work with her dad - and her life was changed forever.

"I got crushed under some machinery, and spent a year in hospital," she says of the event that has left her in a wheelchair.

" remember when I was in hospital in Sheffield, my main concern was whether I would be able to go to an Olympics. My mum explained how I could carry on with swimming, that there was something called the Paralympics, and all the doctors were really supportive too."

Shackleton's life was also changed aged 12 when she attended a Playground to Podium event run by West Yorkshire Sport, designed to allow young people to try new sports.

She gave table tennis a go, was flagged as someone with talent and - combined with watching London 2012 - her path to the Paralympics was set.

"The thing I loved about table tennis from the start is that there are so many aspects that make a good player," she said. "And meeting the ParalympicsGB team before London was really inspiring.

"It's really powerful, I know I used to adore [swimmer] Rebecca Adlington. Will Bayley really inspired me as well, it is important for kids to have great role models."

After getting on the podium in Japan, Shackleton is aiming for similar success in France both in the singles and in the mixed doubles alongside GB's other wildcard, Tom Matthews - who she describes as her best mate and a "dream come true" to play alongside.

Shackleton has also been balancing her sporting aspirations with her other love - books.

Following the same path as Olympic great Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Shackleton is studying for a degree at the University of Sheffield. While Ennis-Hill studied psychology however, Shackleton is pursuing a qualification in English Literature.

Shackleton was in the middle of her second year at Sheffield, but paused her studies to pursue her Paralympics place. She will resume her degree in February 2025, and praised the university for their support.

"I have missed it. I enjoy having that challenge academically," she says of her degree.

"Maybe I even love literature equally as much as I love table tennis, I had great teachers in school who gave me a real passion. I'm also interested in journalism, I love wanting to tell other people's stories.

"I can't imagine not studying English and not playing sport. Books and sport, these are the things that make me be me."

Shackleton's favourite book is the young adult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, as she says she can identify with the main character Charlie, a teenager suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I felt I could relate to Charlie - like I was someone with a bit more than anyone else in their background."

The table tennis events in Paris will take place from August 29 to September 7 at the South Paris Arena 4.

The tournament will start with the men's, women's and mixed doubles events that have replaced team events, with the 22 singles events - 11 wheelchair and 11 standing - to follow.