COMEBACK queen Felicity Pickard struck gold for the GB Para Table Tennis team after success in the Belgium Open.

It was the 21-year-old’s first competitive action after returning to the sport following a break to concentrate on her training.

And that extra training certainly paid off for the table tennis star from Burnley who won the Class Six singles event in Sint Niklaas.

Pickard’s last international action for the GB team was the Slovenia Open last year before she decided to go away and work on her game.

And she showed that improvement and belied her ranking in the round robin women’s Class Six singles event.

In her first match, she enjoyed an impressive 3-2 win over top seed and 2010 World champion, Katarzyna Marszal from Poland - holding her nerve to win a very tight match 14-12 in the fifth.

Pickard went on to clinch the gold medal with 3-0 wins over Russian World number 11, Svetlana Nesterenko, and Tatiana Ledovskaia, also from Russia.

Pickard, who has tried a range of different sports - including riding, boccia and swimming - was clearly delighted with her victory.

“I’m really happy,” said Pickard. “I just tried to focus on my game and stay more relaxed.

“I saved seven match points in my first match. I just kept focused and she got a bit tight which helped me and that gave me great confidence for the rest of my matches.

“Now I know I can handle those situations and stay relaxed it gives me great motivation for the future.

“The goal here was just to see how I could cope with international competition so to win gold is a bonus and now I can push on with my training.”

GB Development Coach, Shaun Marples, praised Pickard’s commitment and dedication after she was one of two gold medal winners - the other being won by Gloucestershire teenager Billy Shilton.

“Overall I think the tournament has been a massive success,” said Marples, “Especially Felicity, not only getting her first win but to win gold, and Billy, who has been able to channel his focus to win class 8 - his first singles’ title as well.

“They both deserve great credit and have been working hard in training back home.

“The rest of the Pathway players have all come away with wins and gained valuable experience as well and are great prospects for the future.”

Pickard’s success comes hot on the heels of the bronze medal Megan Shackleton from Todmorden won at the ITTF Para Table Tennis European Championships in Vejle, Denmark - the last major competition before next year’s Paralympic Games in Rio.

The 16-year-old partnered World championship silver medalist Sue Gilroy in the women’s class 4-5 team event and reached the semi-finals with wins over Israel and Germany.

n The GB Para Table Tennis Team is hosting the first of a series of Talent Recruitment Days at its team base, the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, on Saturday, November 28.

The event in Sheffield runs from 10am-2pm at the EIS Sheffield, Coleridge Road, Sheffield, S9 5DA. Anyone wanting further information should call 0114 261 8681.