Aaron McKibbin has never failed to win a medal at the Paralympics, but with three bronzes already to his name he is ready to upgrade to gold this time around in Paris.

All three bronzes were in team events – Class 6-8 in London and Rio and Class 8 in Tokyo. He will have the chance to add to his collection in the Men’s Class 18 Doubles, alongside Josh Stacey, as well as the Class 8 Singles.

And he enters both with the belief that he can take at least one step up the podium.

“I’ve had the best year I’ve had of my career so far in the qualification period,” said the 32-year-old from Wandsworth. “I’ve got to as high as number two in the world, I’ve won quite a few competitions this year.

“So I think I’m going out there with positive hopes. Every competition I play, I’m there to win it, so that’s my aim, I’m going out there to win it.

“I know it’s going to be difficult, but I believe I’m in the best shape of my life. If I can produce the performances on the day, I know I’ll be in the mix to be amongst the medals.

“I’m very proud of the achievements I’ve had over the last three Games I’ve been to. So, I want that medal more than anything, but I don’t have to fill the need. I think it takes a lot of pressure off me.”

The change from team to doubles competitions has opened up a new partnership between McKibbin & Stacey, although as doubles was a part of the team competitions, McKibbin has still had plenty of experience on the biggest stage.

“We haven’t really prepped together in the build-up,” said McKibbin. “I don’t think it was the plan originally for us to be together.

“But we’ve played two internationals this year and we’ve won two, so I think we’re in great shape to compete for a medal.

“I think it’s also put a bit more emphasis for me on singles. I think going into the last three games, if I’m being honest, I had a very outside chance to win a singles medal, my main focus was trying to medal in team.

“I truly believe this time I’ve got an opportunity to medal in both of them, so it’s put a bit more focus on my singles and I’m just excited to play both events.”

As he looks back on an already impressive Paralympic career, McKibbin’s main reflection is on how he has matured as a person and athlete.

“I think I’m a lot more relaxed now,” he said. “My face probably doesn’t always show it, but I’m actually more relaxed now on the table. I think previously I used to be . . . trying to be over professional, too uptight and taking everything too seriously, and I think that used to affect me.

“I think over the years I’ve learned to sort of relax and enjoy it a bit more.”

Beyond that, he expects to draw on his experiences of playing in front of big crowds in London and Rio, if not Tokyo.

“London 2012 was the best crowd I’ve ever played in front of,” he said. “It was thousands of people screaming every day. I believe from looking at the Olympics, it looks like that’s what it’s going to be like in France.

“Hopefully that’s the same atmosphere and I’ll just try to draw on the experiences of the big pressure matches I’ve been in and the experience of being in a Paralympic Games, and everything feeling pretty familiar now and not feeling so alien to me.

“I’ve got quite a few friends and family, girlfriend coming to watch. So I’m really looking forward to them to be able to come and see me.

Tokyo, they actually were booked to come but couldn’t. It’s such a shame obviously for Tokyo, I think with it being in Japan and table tennis being such a big sport over there, I think it would have been unbelievable, the crowd, so it’s a shame we didn’t get to experience that.

“But from the looks of how it’s been in Paris so far, it looks like the crowds will be back and I think that’s something we’ll definitely revel in.”