Tapper Backing Up For Another ‘Double’ Games

Fresh from competing at her second Olympic Games, table tennis star Milly Tapper is ready and focused for her third Paralympic campaign.

The 31-year-old is very familiar with her Tokyo surroundings, having arrived in Japan on July 17 to compete at the Olympics.

The Para-table tennis team Co-Captain is a core element in the Australian Paralympic Team’s 11-player table tennis squad that collectively has high aspirations at these Games.  

“My big goal has always been to perform at the Paralympics,” Tapper said.

“I was pretty fortunate to qualify for the Olympics, but realistically I was able to use that to get a feeling for the balls and see how I was playing.

"Now I’m really excited that the rest of my Paralympic Team is here in Japan with me and I’m excited to get out there and play.”

Tapper in 2016 became the first Australian to compete at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, joining an exclusive club internationally. One member is Tapper’s rival Natalie Partyka from Poland, who Tapper played at the Rio and London Paralympics.

“She’s an amazing player. She's very good at what she does,” Tapper said. “She played... what is it now, her (sixth) Paralympics? Anyone is very lucky to get close to her.”

Tapper has delivered fourth-place finishes at her last two Paralympics and has plans to better her performance.

“I’m going to take it one match at a time. I think regardless of my results I’m just excited I get to be here,” she said.

"I’ve put in a lot of work and if I can see better results I’d be stoked, but enjoying myself is the priority.

“There’s definitely been a lot of growth on table and off table. I think for me that's going to be the most exciting part, to see how all that comes through.

“Covid has definitely made things challenging. I think we're incredibly lucky in Australia. The situation was a bit of a blessing in disguise for me in terms of my table tennis. I was able to refocus on my game, also getting a bit more opportunity to work on different areas that maybe previously I wouldn’t have before.”

The Para-table tennis competition starts on August 25.

📷 | Paralympics Australia