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<b>Brazilian table tennis representative Bruna Alexandri (left) serves against the Korean pair of Shin Yu-bin and Jeon Ji-hee in the round of 16 of the women′s team table tennis event at the Paris Olympics on the 6th. Alexandri, who has only her left arm, places the ball on her racket and floats it before serving.
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Applause for Brazil′s Alexandre, Beyond the Paralympics, Enjoying the Olympic Stage ″I Wanted to Show That I Can Do It with One Arm″

In matches where the Korean women′s table tennis team participates, the ′little squeaker′ Shin Yu-bin (20) usually receives the loudest applause. However, in the round of 16 of the women′s team table tennis event at the Paris Olympics on the 6th, Bruna Alexandri (29, Brazil) received a louder applause. This was the case even though Korea defeated Brazil 3-1.

Alexandri, who also participated in the Busan World Table Tennis Championships in February of this year, has one arm but two world singles rankings. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) women′s singles ranking, where Shin Yu-bin is ranked 7th, is 182nd. And the standing grade para-skilled women′s singles ranking is 6th. Alexandri is a para-skilled table tennis powerhouse who won a bronze medal in this grade at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics (Paralympic Games) held in her home country and a silver medal at the Tokyo Games five years later.

The first doubles match of the day, in which she teamed up with Giulia Takahashi (19) to face the Shin Yu-bin-Jeon Ji-hee (32) pair, was Alexandri′s Olympic debut. By playing in this match, Alexandri became the first Brazilian player to compete in both the Paralympics and the Olympics. Among table tennis players around the world, she is the second after Natalia Partica (35, Poland).

Alexandri lost 0-3 in the first doubles. She then played in the fourth singles, but lost 0-3 to Lee Eun-hye (29). She finished her first Olympic appearance after two matches. Alexandri said, “I wanted to show that anything is possible for someone with only one arm or leg,” and added, “I will now continue my challenge with the goal of winning a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics (opening on the 29th).” If Alexandri steps onto the Paris Paralympics stage, she will become the sixth athlete in history to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics in the same year.

Alexandri had her right shoulder amputated due to complications from a vaccine when she was six months old. So she naturally grew up left-handed. Left-handed table tennis players usually float the ball with their right hand when serving. Alexandri places the ball on her racket and floats it. Just because her serving style is different, her table tennis skills do not diminish. Even in Korea, which is ranked second in the all-time Olympic rankings, there are only 13 players with a higher world ranking than Alexandri.


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