Yvette Alloo facts for kids

Yvette Alloo (born June 21, 1930 – died September 23, 2020) was a fantastic table tennis player from Belgium. She made history by becoming the very first Belgian to win a gold medal at the Paralympic Games. This is a huge achievement for any athlete!

Yvette Alloo's Amazing Journey

Yvette Alloo was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1930. When she was 15 years old, she became paralyzed in her legs. This meant she used a wheelchair.

Starting Her Sport Career

Yvette started playing table tennis in 1955. She was in a rehabilitation center in Brussels at the time. This is a place where people recover from injuries or illnesses.

In 1960, Yvette was one of 15 athletes from Belgium chosen for the Paralympic Games. These games are a major international sports event for athletes with disabilities. The 1960 Games were held in Rome, Italy.

Paralympic Gold Medals

At the 1960 Rome Paralympics, Yvette competed in two sports: table tennis and fencing. She showed incredible skill and won a gold medal in table tennis! This made her the first Belgian to ever win a Paralympic gold medal.

She continued her success at the next Paralympic Games. In 1964, she went to Tokyo, Japan, for the Paralympics. There, she won another gold medal in table tennis. Yvette ended her amazing sports career in 1965.

Beyond the Game

Yvette Alloo was not just a great athlete. She also helped to create the Belgian Sports Federation for the Disabled. This group later became known as the Belgian Paralympic Committee. This committee helps support Paralympic athletes in Belgium.

Yvette also worked for 35 years at a hospital in Brussels. She was the secretary for the trauma and rehabilitation center at Brugmann Hospital.

Yvette Alloo passed away on September 23, 2020, when she was 90 years old. Her legacy as a pioneering athlete and advocate for disabled sports continues to inspire many.