SUE BAILEY is hoping to win her third Commonwealth Games title after a 16-year wait.
The wheelchair table tennis star from Dodworth won gold for England in Manchester in 2002 and in Melbourne, Australia in 2006 but has not competed at the last three games.
The teacher at Shawlands Primary School will now compete in the individual event in Birmingham.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bailey, who is due to start playing on Wednesday, said: “Obviously I want to go and win it.
“I have won the last two I have entered .
“We weren’t allowed to go to India in 2010 because there was the World Championships two weeks later, then it was taken out of the last two because the host countries didn’t have good wheelchair athletes so picked different events.
“Thankfully it is back in and I hope it stays there.
“It would be lovely to get a hat-trick.
“I really wanted it in India and I’ve been waiting a long time.”
Sue loved her experience at the Manchester games 20 years ago and is hoping for something similar.
“Having a home crowd makes such a difference when you are playing. The atmosphere is incredible and spurs you on to play your best.
“My family are coming down and it’s very rare that they will see me compete. That will be lovely.
“I need to thank my coaches and my family, who have been so supportive. I couldn’t do it without them.”
The 49-year-old is expecting stiff competition.
“It will be tough because there is an Indian girl who won silver in Tokyo, and it’s a mix of classes so there will be two Nigerians from class five who will be difficult to beat.”
Sue recently won two golds and a silver at a tournament in the Czech Republic. She said: “It’s given me a lot of confidence that I can beat anyone.”
After the Commonwealths, Sue will prepare for the World Championships later in the year while her long-term target is a seventh Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024.
