# Thomas Wandschneider

Thomas Wandschneider (born 7 November 1963 in Buxtehude) is a German para-badminton player. He is a four time Para badminton world champion. He considered retiring in 2018, but changed his mind due to Badminton being at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Wandschneider is also a 14-time gold medalist at the European Para-Badminton Championships.
In his second appearance at the Paralympics in 2024, he won a bronze medal in the men's singles WH1 event, gifting Germany's first para-badminton medal at the Paralympics. Wandschneider also became the oldest Paralympic medalist in para-badminton at 60 years old.

## Biography

Wandschneider was diagnosed with paraplegia after a car accident in May 2000. Wandschneider was later introduced to para-badminton through an acquaintance from the hospital and made his debut in the sport at the 2001 IBAD Para-Badminton World Championships in Córdoba, Spain.

## Achievements
### Paralympic Games

Men's singles WH1
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2024 | Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris, France | Jeong Jae-gun | 26–24, 21–11 | Bronze |

### World Championships

Men's singles WH1
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2005 | Hsinchu Municipal Gymnasium, Hsinchu, Taiwan | Lee Sam-seop | 2–0 | Gold |
| 2011 | Coliseo Deportivo, Guatemala City, Guatemala | Lee Sam-seop | 14–21, 11–21 | Silver |
| 2013 | Helmut-Körnig-Halle, Dortmund, Germany | Lee Sam-seop | 20–22, 21–19, 21–21 | Bronze |
| 2015 | Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Stoke Mandeville, England | Lee Sam-seop | 9–21, 12–21 | Silver |
| 2017 | Dongchun Gymnasium, Ulsan, South Korea | Qu Zimo | 18–21, 9–21 | Bronze |
Men's doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2005 | Hsinchu Municipal Gymnasium, Hsinchu, Taiwan | Avni Kertmen | Choi Jung-man Lee Sam-seop | 2–0 | Gold |
| 2007 | Gymnasium 1, Bangkok, Thailand | Avni Kertmen | Choi Jung-man Lee Sam-seop | 17–21, 16–21 | Silver |
| 2011 | Coliseo Deportivo, Guatemala City, Guatemala | Avni Kertmen | Osamu Nagashima Seiji Yamami | 21–10, 21–15 | Gold |
| 2013 | Helmut-Körnig-Halle, Dortmund, Germany | David Toupé | Avni Kertmen Lee Sam-seop | 21–10, 21–16 | Gold |
| 2022 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Rick Hellmann | Noor Azwan Noorlan Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli | 21–11, 21–15 | Gold |
Mixed doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2003 | Welsh Institute of Sport, Cardiff, Wales | Irmgard Wandt | Ton Hollaar Carol de Meijer | 5–11, 12–13 | Bronze |
| 2013 | Helmut-Körnig-Halle, Dortmund, Germany | Karin Suter-Erath | Lee Sam-seop Son Ok-cha | 19–21, 21–23 | Bronze |

### European Para Championships

Men's singles WH1
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2023 | Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands | David Toupé | 21–15, 21–17 | Gold |
Men's doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2023 | Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Rick Hellmann | Thomas Jakobs David Toupé | 21–19, 21–18 | Gold |

### European Championships

Men's singles WH1
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2004 | Sporthal Dongewijk, Tilburg, Netherlands | Quincy Michielsen | 10–15, 10–15 | Bronze |
| 2006 | Fernando Marin Sports Centre, La Rinconada, Spain | Walter Rauber | 21–7, 21–5 | Gold |
| 2008 | Sporthallen TSC Eintracht Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany | David Toupé | 2–0 | Gold |
| 2010 | Sportzentrum Kerenzerberg, Filzbach, Switzerland | David Toupé | 16–21, 21–23 | Silver |
| 2012 | Helmut-Körnig-Halle, Dortmund, Germany | David Toupé | 21–14, 21–13 | Gold |
| 2014 | High Performance Center, Murcia, Spain | David Toupé | 20–22, 21–12, 21–15 | Gold |
| 2016 | Sporthal de Haamen, Beek, Netherlands | David Toupé | 26–28, 21–17, 21–13 | Gold |
| 2018 | Amphitheatre Gymnasium, Rodez, France | David Toupé | 21–14, 21–13 | Gold |
Men's doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2004 | Sporthal Dongewijk, Tilburg, Netherlands | Klaus Gröning | Amir Levi Moshe Zehavi | 1–15, 4–15 | Bronze |
| 2006 | Fernando Marin Sports Centre, La Rinconada, Spain | Avni Kertmen | Ferdinand Hoeke Walter Rauber | 21–13, 21–9 | Gold |
| 2008 | Sporthallen TSC Eintracht Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany | Avni Kertmen | Shimon Shalom David Toupé | 2–0 | Gold |
| 2010 | Sportzentrum Kerenzerberg, Filzbach, Switzerland | Avni Kertmen | Sébastien Martin David Toupé | 22–20, 20–22, 21–7 | Gold |
| 2012 | Helmut-Körnig-Halle, Dortmund, Germany | Avni Kertmen | Pascal Barrillon David Toupé | 21–12, 21–16 | Gold |
| 2014 | High Performance Center, Murcia, Spain | David Toupé | Avni Kertmen Martin Rooke | 21–11, 21–13 | Gold |
| 2016 | Sporthal de Haamen, Beek, Netherlands | Connor Dua-Harper | Martin Rooke David Toupé | 21–17, 12–21, 21–16 | Gold |
| 2018 | Amphitheatre Gymnasium, Rodez, France | Martin Rooke | Amir Levi David Toupé | 21–19, 21–16 | Gold |
Mixed doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2010 | Sportzentrum Kerenzerberg, Filzbach, Switzerland | Ulrike Kriebel | David Toupé Sonja Häsler | 17–21, 15–21 | Bronze |

### BWF Para Badminton World Circuit (1 title, 6 runners-up)

The BWF Para Badminton World Circuit – Grade 2, Level 1, 2 and 3 tournaments has been sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation from 2022.
Men's singles WH1
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2022 | Spanish Para-Badminton International II | Level 2 | Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli | 20–22, 24–22, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2022 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | Level 1 | Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli | 12–21, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Spanish Para-Badminton International II | Level 2 | Jeong Jae-gun | 17–21, 25–23, 20–22 | Runner-up |
Men's doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Tournament | Level | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2022 | Spanish Para-Badminton International II | Level 2 | Rick Hellmann | Noor Azwan Noorlan Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli | 21–14, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2022 | Bahrain Para-Badminton International | Level 2 | Rick Hellmann | Choi Jung-man Kim Jung-jun | 21–12, 10–21, 11–21 | Runner-up |
| 2022 | 4 Nations Para-Badminton International | Level 1 | Rick Hellmann | Noor Azwan Noorlan Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli | 22–20, 17–21, 11–21 | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Spanish Para-Badminton International I | Level 1 | Rick Hellmann | Jeong Jae-gun Yu Soo-young | 14–21, 12–21 | Runner-up |

### International tournaments (2011–2021) (13 titles, 9 runners-up)

Men's singles WH1
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2011 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 21–18, 21–10 | Winner |
| 2012 | French Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 19–21, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 21–9, 21–13 | Winner |
| 2016 | Turkish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 21–19, 21–17 | Winner |
| 2016 | Irish Para-Badminton International | Lee Sam-seop | 15–21, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2017 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 21–18, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2018 | Thailand Para-Badminton International | Lee Dong-seop | 9–21, 7–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Denmark Para-Badminton International | Marcelo Alves Conceição | 21–10, 21–8 | Winner |
| 2019 | Uganda Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | 21–11, 24–26, 21–16 | Winner |
| 2019 | Canada Para-Badminton International | Lee Dong-seop | 13–21, 17–21 | Winner |
| 2021 | Uganda Para-Badminton International | Konstantin Afinogenov | 21–4, 21–13 | Winner |
Men's doubles WH1–WH2
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2011 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | Avni Kertmen | Pascal Barrillon David Toupé | 21–12, 21–9 | Winner |
| 2012 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | Avni Kertmen | Choi Jung-man Lee Sam-seop | 13–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Javier Fernández Roberto Galdos | 21–6, 21–13 | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Sébastien Martin Seiji Yamami | 21–6, 21–5 | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Choi Jung-man Lee Sam-seop | 11–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Spanish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Connor Dua-Harper Martin Rooke | 22–20, 21–12 | Winner |
| 2016 | Turkish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Javier Fernández Roberto Galdos | 21–13, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2016 | Irish Para-Badminton International | David Toupé | Kim Jung-jun Lee Sam-seop | 14–21, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2017 | Irish Para-Badminton International | Chan Ho Yuen | Kim Kyung-hoon Lee Sam-seop | 19–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Irish Para-Badminton International | Martin Rooke | Kim Kyung-hoon Lee Sam-seop | 17–21, 13–21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | Denmark Para-Badminton International | Young-chin Mi | Daiki Kajiwara Hiroshi Murayama | 12–21, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2021 | Uganda Para-Badminton International | Rick Hellmann | Prem Kumar Ale Abu Hubaida | 21–13, 21–13 | Winner |