Playing table tennis with one hand, a disabled athlete makes history at the Olympics.

Bruna Alexandre became the first Brazilian disabled athlete, along with Melissa Tapper of Australia, to compete in both the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer (Photo: Getty).

Bruna Alexandre, a former Paralympic athlete representing Brazil, is making her Olympic debut at the Games. Along with Australian table tennis player Melissa Tapper, Bruna Alexandre is making history as one of the first female athletes to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Bruna Alexandre had her right arm amputated due to a brain hemorrhage when she was just a few months old. Melissa Tapper, 34, suffers from brachial plexus palsy, a type of paralysis in her right arm, which she was born with. However, Bruna Alexandre's performance against healthy, high-level South Korean athletes with only one arm has garnered even more admiration. The 29-year-old player executed smashes and slices like other table tennis players at the Paris Olympics, but when serving, she used her left-handed racket to toss the ball high into the air.

However, the Brazilian women's table tennis team was eliminated early from the Olympics after losing to South Korea 1-3. Despite their best efforts, Bruna Alexandre lost both her singles and doubles matches. "It wasn't the result I expected, but we are very happy with what we achieved. We didn't give up until the very last minute. South Korea is one of the strongest teams. I scored some points, which made me very happy, and I am very proud of my team for fighting until the end," Alexandre said. The Brazilian female player affirmed that her victory was about participating in the Olympics as a healthy athlete, because even other healthy athletes dream of competing in the world's biggest tournament like her. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to represent all Brazilians with disabilities at the Paris Olympics and prove that I can compete on equal footing with any athlete. I have a dream of becoming a Paralympic champion, and competing against non-disabled athletes at the Paris Olympics has strengthened my resolve to pursue this goal," Bruna Alexandre shared on the Games' website. "I think this makes me want to continue and pursue my dream even more, not just for myself, but for all people with disabilities. I hope that one day this will become the norm in the world: a person with a disability playing against someone with both hands, regardless of the disability," the 29-year-old tennis player concluded.