Two table tennis players will have the unique experience of competing in both the Paris Olympics and Paralympics.
Bruna Alexandre from Brazil and Melissa Tapper from Australia are taking part in both events, joining a small group of athletes who have competed in both the Summer Games and the Paralympics.
Oscar Pistorius, a South African sprinter with double amputations, also achieved this feat, competing in both events in London in 2012 before serving nearly nine years in prison.
Alexandre, 29, had her right arm amputated due to a blood clot when she was a baby. Tapper, 34, has brachial plexus palsy, a condition that affects her right arm from birth.
“It’s awesome, an absolute privilege to be able to do it,” Tapper said. She competed in both events in Rio in 2016 and in Tokyo in 2021. She was eliminated in the singles at the Paris Olympics by the No. 4 seed Shin Yu-bin from South Korea.
Tapper shared her excitement about the Paris experience, mentioning how the French crowd was great and how it was helpful to get familiar with the venue before the Paralympics.
Tapper, who is ranked No. 248 in the world and No. 63 in Paris, will join the Australian team in their upcoming matches, starting with a game against Taiwan on Tuesday.
Alexandre, ranked No. 182 in the world, did not compete in the singles but will participate in the team event with Brazil against South Korea on Monday.
“It’s so difficult to earn a spot for the Olympics, the competition is very tough,” Alexandre said. She has been competing in the Paralympics since 2016, earning two bronze medals in Rio and a silver and a bronze in Tokyo.
