Table tennis player Bruna Alexandre made history this Monday (5), as she became the first Brazilian to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Alongside Giulia Takahashi, the 29-year-old from Santa Catarina competed in the table tennis team tournament at the Arena Paris Sud 4, where she also played in the singles category.
In the doubles, Bruna and Giulia were defeated by a team from South Korea by 3 sets to 0 (6/11, 5/11, 8/11). In the individual event, the Santa Catarina native lost by 3 sets to 0 (8/11, 5/11, 6/11) to South Korean Eunhye Lee.
“It was a very special night. I will remember it every day, it is truly unforgettable. Look at this atmosphere, I will record a video and watch it over and over again. I want to thank all the French people for cheering me on,” said Bruna.
The first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
You made history, Bruna Alexandre. pic.twitter.com/bTgKD2gg3t
— Time Brazil (@timebrasil) August 5, 2024
With this second feat, Bruna repeats the feat of two other athletes: Polish Natalia Partyka, who was at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games (2008), and Australian Melissa Tapper, who was at the Rio (2016), Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024) games.
“I think it is very important not only to think about sport, but also about inclusion, in my country and in the world too, showing that everything is possible, regardless of whether you only have one arm or one leg,” declared the Santa Catarina native, who has four Paralympic medals under her belt: two bronze medals at the Rio Games and a silver and a bronze in Tokyo.
“Now I have the dream of winning the gold medal at the Paralympic Games. There are a lot of technical differences between the Olympic and Paralympic Games and being here will help me a lot for the Paralympic Games. I learned a lot here and I will use that”, he concluded.
