Israel Stroh

Started: He began playing table tennis in 2000 when he was in grade eight at school. (site.cbtm.org.br, 01 Jan 2017) Reason: He recognised his potential in the sport while at school and joined a non-Para table tennis club. He was inspired to take up Para table tennis after attending an interview for a job as a sports journalist, when the interviewer suggested he could be classified as a Para athlete. "I did some research about who my opponents would be, and thought that I would have a chance. So I decided to come back to the sport." (olimpiadatododia.com.br, 05 Jul 2020; site.cbtm.org.br, 01 Jan 2017) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (cbtm.org.br, 26 Sep 2023) Awards: He was named Best Para Table Tennis Player of 2016 by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee. (cpb.org.br, 01 Jan 2017) Additional Info: OCCUPATION He has worked as a sports reporter in Brazil. In 2013 he put his journalism career on hold in order to focus on table tennis ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "We are used to seeing athletes switching to a career in sports media, but this time it happened the other way round." (olimpiadatododia.com.br, 05 Jul 2020; LinkedIn profile, 16 Jul 2023) FURTHER EDUCATION He has studied advertising at the Methodist University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Dec 2020)