U.S. Olympic Athletes

Tahl Leibovitz

  • Home:  Ozone Park, New York

Tahl Leibovitz, who was born in Israel, has been representing the U.S. in international table tennis competitions since 1995 and has been competing in the Paralympic Games since 1996. Although Leibovitz did not medal in Beijing, has won medals in virtually every Paralympic table tennis category in which he has competed and has won nine gold medals at the Parapan American Games since 2003.

Leibovitz began playing table tennis at the South Queens Boys Club when he was 15 years old. The club was a place to keep young kids out of trouble and Leibovitz enjoyed spending his time there. He credits Coach Erol Young for changing the way he looked at the sport and for pushing his skills to new levels he never thought possible.

Leibovitz's disability consists of benign bone tumors in most areas of his body, including a bone tumor in his playing arm. He also has problems with his toes, knees and spine, which causes a lot of his muscles to tense up.  Leibovitz says the game of table tennis is 95-percent mental and says the only way to succeed is to have confidence in yourself.

Major Achievements: 

  • 2011: Gold, men’s singles (C9), silver, men’s team (C9-10); Parapan Games, Guadajara, Mexico
  • 2009: New York State Champion
  • 2008: US Open Men's Singles Over 30 Silver Medalist
  • 2008: U.S. Paralympic Team member, Table Tennis - Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
  • 2008: Collegiate National Champion
  • 2008: New York State Champion
  • 2007: Three gold medals, Open Standing Class, Class 8 Singles, Class 8 Team - Parapan American Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2006: Fourth place, Open Standing - IPC Table Tennis World Championships, Montreux, Switzerland
  • 2005: Three gold medals, Open Standing, Class 9, Team - Parapan American Table Tennis Championships, Mar del Plata, Argentina
  • 2005: Two gold medals, Open Standing, Class 9; Bronze medal, Team - U.S. Paralympics Table Tennis Championships
  • 2004: Bronze medal, Singles - Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece
  • 2003: Three gold medals, Open Standing, Class 9, Team - Parapan American Games, Brasilia, Brazil
  • 1996: Gold medal, Singles; Bronze medal, Team - Paralympic Games, Atlanta, Ga.