Behind the Scenes at the Paralympics: Barak’s Insider Story

by Barak Mizrachi

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have come and gone, Australia achieved awesome results finishing 4th on the medal tally and taking in our greatest gold medal haul at a single Olympics, our Jewish Olympians leading the way. I also want to give praise to the Israeli delegation for not just competing but having their most successful games ever!

But now, sorry, it’s time for the main event! The Paralympics start in just under two weeks’ time and there is no greater showcase for the world’s leading Para athletes. Yeah, skateboarding looks cool, but I dare anyone to try Wheelchair Rugby! Or have a go at Goalball, a Paralympic unique sport for vision-impaired athletes. There are many sports on offer at the Paralympics that don’t have an Olympic counterpart, and I encourage everyone to check out the upcoming coverage to see these amazing athletes in action.

Australia has had a long and proud history in the Paralympics, sitting 5th in the overall medal tally, including taking the win in Sydney 2000. There is also a special connection for our community, as Tel Aviv hosted the 3rd Paralympic Games in 1968, a rather impressive feat given the time period. Starting with Seoul 1988, prospective Olympic cities have included hosting the Paralympics as part of their bids, ensuring continued enthusiasm for the Paralympic movement. I was fortunate to compete at the Rio Games in 2016, just a month after the Olympics, and the city was still wired for sports and buzzing with energy.

Throughout my early table tennis life, competing in “able-bodied” events, I was a ‘good-average’ player, competitive on the state circuit, made a few state teams, and competed at 2 Maccabiah Games (2005 and 2009). I didn’t know it at the time, but after switching my focus to Para events in early 2011, it would change my life! After winning the Para Nationals that year, I was quickly elevated to the National Squad, competing in tournaments across Asia and Europe in a rushed but ultimately unsuccessful campaign to qualify for London 2012.

Missing out on London was a bitter blow, but next time I needed to do it right, so I set out a three-year plan to qualify for Rio 2016. Every life decision I made served that goal. In April 2015, it happened—I achieved it! Such a surreal feeling, especially after beating the favourite. It wouldn’t be official for another year, but I didn’t care, I had a lot of time to prepare. It was the most gruelling 18 months of preparation, juggling full-time work with, effectively, full-time training, but I loved every minute of it as I would soon compete at the premier sporting event in para table tennis.

Approaching the games, I remember the event like it was yesterday. We had a weeklong training camp on the Gold Coast before boarding flights to South America. I was on such a high, and our team of five had two genuine individual medal chances—sadly, I was not one of the two, but I had the feeling that, with a favourable draw, I could be a “spoiler.” Unfortunately, I was drawn in a group with the 4th and 5th world-ranked players who later, unsurprisingly, played off for bronze. Don’t worry, I was cheering for them hard in the semis!

My matches were over after the first two days. I didn’t blame oversleeping my alarm by 30 minutes on Day 1 after attending the Opening Ceremony the night before—simply put, the best decision I made because it gave me such a boost. Ask any athlete: the best experience is competing; the second best is marching in at the Opening Ceremony. Overall, I did play well; I was just outclassed by effectively professional athletes. Most of the next two weeks were spent supporting my teammates as well as supporting Aussies in other sports. I was really proud when my village roommate won silver in his table tennis event.

Speaking of the village, we faced comparable issues back in Rio, similar to what we recently heard about in Paris, including some minor ongoing construction. I remember hearing one Aussie Olympian at the time saying, “It’s the Olympics, you sleep anywhere!” That was the attitude I took back then. The entire experience was what made the event special—from the competition, the village life, the camaraderie, and probably most of all, having my family come and support me. I did try and manage expectations, but mixing a Paralympian supporter’s experience with a holiday in South America was enough of a drawcard. They went to the opening ceremony, my matches, as well as some other sports. They had as enjoyable a time as I did—almost!

Following Rio, I had originally planned for Tokyo 2020 and beyond, but I was fortunate to gain selection for the para events at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Playing in front of a 2,000-strong crowd cheering for you is not the norm for Australian table tennis players. I had solid results on the Gold Coast, but I also knew deep down that it would be my last international event. I stayed in the squad another year, finishing at my last Para Nationals in 2019, fortunately with a win in my pet event before retiring and relocating my life to Israel (I returned in early 2023).

I look back on my time in the National Para Squad with pride. The big events like the Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games really stand out. It would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends. I am still active within Table Tennis in Australia (even getting the role as commentator at the Paris Olympic Qualifiers!).

I have many friends and former teammates who are competing in Paris. For those competing for the first time, it will be a memorable experience! I want to wish them all the best of luck! You have already made us proud!

To paraphrase a famous former swim coach: “Stuff the Silver, Go for Gold!”