Melissa Tapper

**Melissa Tapper** (dem born am 1 March 1990) be Australian table tennis player. After she compete at de 2012 Summer Paralympics, she represent Australia at de 2014 Commonwealth Games insyd elite non-Paralympic competition. Insyd March 2016, she cam turn de first Australian athlete wey qualify for both de Summer Olympics den Summer Paralympics.

She qualify for de 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She compete plus Jian Fang Lay den Michelle Bromley insyd de women's team event but Germany defeat dem plus 3-0 insyd de round of 16. At de 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Tapper win silver medal at de 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in de Women's Team C9-10 wey she compete insyd 2024 Paris Olympics den Paralympics.

## Ein Early life
Dem born Tapper for 1 March 1990 insyd Hamilton, Victoria, She get brachial plexus injury wey result into Erb's palsy. She attend Monivae College den Caulfied Grammar School. That year, she win de South West Sports Assembly's junior female of de year award. She plete plus Bachelor of Exercise Science at Australian Catholic University.

## Table tennis
Tapper be class 10 table tennis player wey dey mean say she dey compete while she stand as opposed to competing while she dey wheelchair insyd. , na she get scholarship plus de Victorian Institute of Sport.

As Tapper start dey play table tennis insyd 2002 na she still dey primary school, she compete plus able-bodied athletes. Ein first time wey she rep Australia national team be 2004 for Jordan, wey dat one too be able-bodied competition. For dat same 2004, she play National Table Tennis Championships insyd under-14 doubles den mixed doubles, under-16 doubles den mixed doubles, under-14 singles, under-16 singles plus under-18 singles. She chop medals for seven of dem events inside, wey she carry first position for three.****

Dat year, Tapper too go play tournament for Czech Republic, plus another one for Portugal, wey she play World Junior Cadets under-15 insyd. Ein school support am small plus money make she fit travel go de competitions. Na dat time she start take de sport serious, say she wan go Olympic Games den represent Australia. For 2008 Under-18 Oceania Championship plus 2008 Under-21 Australian Championships, she cam first. By 2008, she be Australian U21 champ and Oceania U18 champ, plus she win Michael Szabados Award for Australian Junior Player of the Year. October 2008, she play Commonwealth Youth Games for Pune, India.

Around 2010, Tapper decide say she go try Para-Table Tennis, wey she switch from able-body competition go disability sport. Na dat same time saf, for one serious table tennis match for Neal Stadium, wey competitor Kelvin Neal beat am 3 sets to 0. Early 2011 insyd, na she dey rank number 19 for world top.

March insyd, she go Europe go play table tennis for Italy den Hungary, wey she win de Opens for de both countries. She win two gold medals for 2011 Arafura Games, wey dem pick am make she represent Australia for 2012 Summer Paralympics for table tennis. She even model de 2012 Australian Paralympic team uniform for Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal for de Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Spring/Summer 2012/13 insyd.

Tapper get chance represent Australia for 2014 Commonwealth Games for Glasgow. She take part insyd de Mixed Doubles den Women’s Team events. For de Women’s Team group stage insyd, Tapper beat ein Guyanese opponent Trenace Lowe 3–0. In de end, de Australian team den Tapper win bronze medal for dat event insyd. For de Mixed Doubles side, she den ein partner Heming Hu beat de Kenyan team 3–0 enter Round 3. But for Round 3 insyd, Hu den Tapper lose 3–0 give de Canadian pair.

Insyd de September 2014 ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championships wey happen for Beijing, China, she win bronze medal for women’s singles SF10. Dat be Australia ein first ever medal for dat Championships. Friday 25 March 2016, Tapper make history after she win de Oceanic Championship, wey emake she cam turn first athlete ever wey dem select say make she represent Australia for both Paralympic den Olympic Games. For 2016 Rio Olympics insyd, she lose ein first round matches for women’s singles den doubles.

For 2016 Rio Paralympics too, Tapper win one match for Women’s Singles Class 10 preliminaries but she no fit advance. For Women’s Doubles Class 6–10, Tapper den ein partner Andrea McDonnell finish fourth.

For 2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast insyd, Tapper win gold medal for Women’s TT6-10.

Dat same 2018, she carry bronze medal go house for Women’s Class 10 insyd de Para Table Tennis World Championships wey happen for Lasko-Celje, Slovenia.

2019 Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships for Darwin insyd too, she win gold medal for Women’s Class 6–10.

For 2020 Tokyo Paralympics insyd, she win silver medal for Women’s Team C9-10 together plus Lei Li Na den Yang Qian. She lose insyd de Women's C10 for quarter-finals to fellow Australian Yang Qian. She compete at de 2024 Paris Paralympic. But for Women’s C10 quarter-finals insyd, she lose give ein Australian teammate Yang Qian. For 2024 Paris Paralympics insyd, she play Women’s Singles 10 den Mixed Doubles 17 but she no progress after she lose ein opening matches. Tapper announce say she dey retire for December 2024 insyd.

Dat same December 2024 insyd, dem select am for de second Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Gen32 Coach Program.

## Ein Recognition
Insyd October 2014, she win de Victorian Institute of Sport's Elite Athlete with a Disability Award. Insyd November 2018, Tapper win Victorian Institute of Sport Personal Excellence Award. Insyd 2019, she win Governor's Award Victorian Female Athlete of the Year – de Kitty McEwan Award. Na she be a member of de Australian Table Table Tennis Team (Class 9-10) wey na dem award 2020 Paralympics Australia Team of the Year.

## References


## External links

* Melissa-Tapper at Table Tennis Australia

* Melissa Tapper at Paralympics Australia 
* Melissa Tapper at the Australian Olympic Committee 
* Melissa Tapper at the International Paralympic Committee 
* Melissa Tapper at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)