Sara Head
A Welsh Paralympian whose relentless determination at the table tennis table earned her a place on the podium at her home Games.
Born 1980 (age 46)·British table tennis player·Birthday: April 12·Generation X
Biography
Sara Head's story is one of resilience and sporting excellence. Classified as a Class 3 athlete, she took up table tennis as part of her rehabilitation and quickly discovered a fierce competitive talent. Representing Wales, she became a fixture in international competition, known for her powerful shots and strategic play. The pinnacle of her career came at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where she competed in front of a home crowd. Teaming up with Jane Campbell, Head battled through a tough field to secure a bronze medal in the women's team event, a moment of immense pride for Welsh sport. Beyond the Paralympics, she proudly represented Wales at multiple Commonwealth Games, showcasing her skill on another major multi-sport stage and inspiring athletes with disabilities across the UK.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Sara was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Sara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a bronze medal in the women's team class 1-3 event at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
- Represented Wales in table tennis at the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
- Consistently ranked among the top para-table tennis players in Great Britain in her classification.
Did You Know?
She initially took up table tennis as part of her rehabilitation after becoming disabled.
Head is an ambassador for disability sport in Wales, encouraging participation at the grassroots level.
She was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to table tennis.
“The ball doesn't know your disability.”
