Alena Kanova
Judr. Alena Kánová (born 29 March 1980)
Alena Kanova is an active para table tennis player since 1996. She has competed at six summer Paralympic games in table tennis and once at winter paralympics playing wheelchair curling.
She has won 5 paralympic medals including gold in Sydney, along with 17 medals from world and european table tennis championships. She does not keep her Paralympic medals, instead giving them away to those who have helped her compete Alena Kanova is a mother of two children. Nina is 7 years old and Anna is 4.
She studied at the Faculty of Law at the Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia.
As a civilian she has got a doctors degree in law and diplomacy. She has worked as a lawyer for a renowned foreign company as well as for ministries of education and foreign affairs of Slovakia and several non-government organizations for the physically disabled. She was a long term member of the executive committee of the Slovak Paralympic committee, which she also represents in several funds and boards. She is also a member of the Para TT Committee and ITTF Athletes Committee for over 12 years.
After the injury at the age of 14 she has remained wheelchair bound. Sport became an everyday part of her life, and affected it significantly. Besides the fact that thanks to the sport she has met a number of great and interesting people all over the world, it taught her patience, discipline, not to give up, but also empathy and dedication.
The Paralympic movement highlights her work with young people and provides a great role model with regard to fair play and mutual help.
