After the euphoria of the Sydney Olympics it looked difficult for the Paralympics to better it.

But Bradford table tennis player David Hope reckons they did just that.

"The volunteers found the Olympic stars were more aloof than us, whereas we are just ordinary people," said the 49-year-old chartered surveyor from Low Moor.

It was Hope's fourth paralympics, but it was the first time he had been mobbed by autograph hunters since Seoul in 1988, when he won a gold medal.

"They were interested in Asians there, of course, but also us because we were Westerners," said the Bradford League player.

"Barcelona was more Mediterranean and laid-back in attitude, but in Atlanta the Americans were only interested in the Americans, and they made a bad effort of organising it.

"In Sydney the Australians really put their backs into it. There were 400 to 800 policemen there with guns - but they were very friendly!"

Having also won a bronze in Barcelona in 1992, Hope's chances of something similar this time were largely stymied by a tough draw in Class Seven of the singles and Class Eight - an even higher level - of the doubles.

"They only invited the top eight singles players and the top eight doubles pairs, and I competed in that with Sheffield's Farrell Anthony," said Hope. "We were ranked seventh out of the eight pairs and were in the same group as Germany (seeded second), Sweden (fourth) and Croatia (fifth).

"Sadly we lost all three matches 3-0 and finished bottom of our group. A place in the top two would have given us a crossover semi-final against either the winners or runners-up in the other group."

There was more to be pleased about in the singles, where sixth seed Hope faced world, Olympic and European champion Jochen Wollmert (Germany), Zeev Glickman (Israel) and Norman Bass (US).

Hope may have been beaten by Woll-mert 21-18, 18-21, 21-17, but he was del-ighted with his performance in what was a very tight series of matches.

"I was absolutely over the moon," enthused Hope.

Then came a 21-17, 21-18 defeat against world No 4 Glickman and a 21-16, 21-19 victory over world No 7 Bass.

"The finalists - Wollmert and Glickman - both came from my group and Wollmert won," said Hope.

The next major target for him is the European Championships in Frankfurt next summer, but he would like to think he has another Paralympics in him.

"I would like to have another go in 2004 and, with a better draw, I reckon I have a chance of a medal," said Hope. "With a more favourable draw this time I could have had a bronze."

In the meantime, Hope will keep himself sharp by playing for Premier Division hot-shots Tog 24 in the Bradford League.

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