Denisa Macurova

Started: She took up the sport at age six. (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2017) Reason: She was introduced to table tennis by her parents. (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2017) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2023) Awards: She was named Para Athlete of the Year for 2019 in Hradec Kralove, Czechia. (hradec.rozhlas.cz, 26 Feb 2020) Additional Info: MOTHER AND COACH Her mother Andrea is a former competitive table tennis player and has served as Denisa's coach since she was young. "I have to listen to my mother at home and then also at training, which is a bit inconvenient, but I wouldn't change it. My mother and I experience our successes much more intensely than I would together with a coach who does not know me so well and does not have such a relationship with me." (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2023) SKIING She has represented Czechia in alpine skiing, including at the 2018 INAS World Championships in Zakopane, Poland. She stepped away from the sport in 2022. "These two sports cannot be combined in a way that allows me to remain competitive with my rivals. I wouldn't have the time required for either sport. Now I want to put all my efforts into table tennis." (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2023)

Sporting Relatives: Her mother Andrea Macurova played table tennis at national level in Czechia. (paralympic.cz, 16 Nov 2023, 16 Nov 2017)