Kilian Ort: A Bad Königshofen veteran says goodbye at the age of 28

Former national team player Kilian Ort from table tennis Bundesliga club TSV Bad Königshofen has called an early end to his professional career due to persistent disc problems. The 28-year-old, who was one of the German Table Tennis Association's (DTTB) greatest young talents as a teenager, announced his final decision on Instagram.

“For a good two years now, I've been struggling with pain in my lower spinal disc, which has meant that I can no longer play my sport without pain. As there has been no improvement to date, I would like to officially announce the end of my table tennis career,” Ort wrote after two unsuccessful operations. A month ago, the club colleague of two-time Olympic team bronze medallist Bastian Steger had already described possible thoughts of a comeback as a “denial of reality”.

In fact, the player from Lower Franconia, who is popular in the table tennis scene, had already been plagued by various injuries before his back problems. The German individual runner-up from 2018 did not make any further appearances in the national team after his international debut around nine years ago, partly due to his vulnerability. Ort last played for his home club Bad Königshofen in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) in April 2023.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have to let a true club hero step down,” Bad Königshofen wrote in the farewell to its homegrown player on Instagram: ”We are infinitely grateful for countless moments of cheer that you gave us in the form of victories and promotions or individual points. Without you, we wouldn't even be a permanent member of the TTBL. Thank you for everything you have done for our club (so far) as a player and as a person.”

Source: SID
Featured image above: Kilian Ort (Photo: IMAGO/Patrick Wichmann/SID/IMAGO/Patrick Wichmann