Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Brazil's Bruna Alexandre brings Olympic table tennis experience to Paralympic stage
A few weeks ago, Brazil’s Bruna Alexandre took on the world’s best at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Now, as the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games begin, she steps onto the world stage once again, this time facing the elite of Para table tennis.
“It’s very difficult to qualify for both the Olympics and the Paralympics, so I’m trying to make the most of this experience,” Alexandre told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview.
Switching between these two arenas isn't easy, but Alexandre has honed her skills over two decades. “I have to flip the switch. I try to adapt my game, slow it down a little, and play different angles. I’m used to it now,” said the four-time Paralympic medalist.
With the experience of both worlds under her racket, Alexandre embarks on her next challenge, beginning with the XD17 Mixed Doubles preliminaries on 29 August.
The Olympic Games helped prepare Alexandre for the Paralympic Games
Competing at the Olympic Games helped Alexandre in more ways than one.
In Paris, she was part of the Brazilian team that played against and witnessed some of the sport’s giants - the People's Republic of China, Japan, and Republic of Korea - at the highest level. “It was my first Olympic Games here in Paris, and it was a great experience being with the best athletes in the world,” she shared. Her Olympic debut followed her bronze medal win at the 2023 Pan American Games in non-disabled table tennis.
But her time at the Olympics wasn't just about the competition; it was also about preparation. Alexandre soaked in the atmosphere, knowing she would soon return to compete in the Paralympic Games, the first Brazilian athlete ever to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same year.
She is also one of three table tennis Olympians who will compete in the Paralympics, along with Melissa Tapper and her personal idol, Natalia Partyka.
But playing in both the Olympics and the Paralympics is no small feat, especially in a sport like table tennis, where even the slightest edge can determine the outcome of any match.
The Brazilian acknowledged the challenges in navigating the two arenas. “In the Olympics, the competition is very tough, there are many opponents, and the level is very, very strong,” she explained.
"In my class, some people don’t have an arm, so they have some difficulty with balance. The only thing that changes is the way you serve and the lack of balance. But I try to adapt more and more to play in the Olympics, which also helps me in the Paralympics. I think that’s what Natalia and Melissa did, and I did it too. I think that getting started in the Olympic sport helped us.
"I am working hard to be able to play on equal terms in the Olympic and Paralympic Games together," Alexandre continued. “I think it's beautiful to see what a Paralympic athlete can do as an Olympic athlete, to show that anything is possible."
Bruna Alexandre's quest for gold at Paris 2024
Alexandre’s passion for table tennis ignited at the age of seven, and she has dedicated herself to mastering both table tennis and Para table tennis ever since. Through years of relentless practice and competing in - and winning - both non-disabled and Para competitions, Alexandre is at the top of her game. She has nearly no difficulty with balance, confidently stating, “I can reach every ball.”
She has even managed to defeat her long-time idol, Poland's Natalia Partyka - a four-time Olympian and six-time Paralympic champion.
Alexandre vividly remembers discovering Partyka through YouTube at the age of 13 when she first joined Para table tennis. “She always inspired me, and I dreamed of trying to beat her,” Alexandre recalled. That dream became a reality in 2023 at the Italian Open, where after eight losses to Partyka, Alexandre finally secured a victory - a moment she described as a dream come true. “She was the person who inspired me the most to play in the Olympic Games.”
Now, as they are both set to compete in the women’s singles Class 10 at Paris 2024, the stakes are higher than ever.
This year’s women’s singles Class 10 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet, with Alexandre, Tapper, and Partyka all vying for the title. They will all be on the hunt to dethrone defending champion Yang Qian of Australia, who ended Partyka’s dominance at Tokyo 2020.
For Alexandre, competing at both the Olympic Games and Paralympics is more than a personal achievement; it’s a powerful statement. As she steps into the arena in Paris, she carries the hopes of many, aiming to further bridge the Olympic and Paralympic worlds.
“The Paralympic Games motivate me a lot. Showing that a person with a disability can do anything motivates me, not only in sports but in terms of inclusion in my country and the world.”
With one silver and three bronzes to her name, only one question remains: Can Bruna Alexandre fulfill another dream and finally capture her long-awaited Paralympic gold?