Paris 2024: Meet the Paralympic athletes making waves in Bermuda

Jessica Cooper Lewis, representing Bermuda, still remembers how amazed she was at her first Paralympics in London 2012. “I saw 80,000 people in the stadium, which is more than Bermuda’s entire population. It was overwhelming and exciting,” she said.

In London, Lewis was Bermuda’s only athlete. This year in Paris, she’s joined by her long-time friend, boccia player Yushae Andrade. “Our team has doubled, so that’s great!” said Lewis, who is competing in her fourth Paralympics.

Bermuda’s Paralympic Journey Bermuda first competed in the Paralympics in 1996 in Atlanta and is still searching for its first medal. Andrade, who wore pink and blue braids to represent Bermuda, is competing for the second time after Rio 2016.

“It’s been amazing to share this experience with Jess again,” Andrade said.

Lewis, 31, and Andrade, 30, have known each other since childhood. They met through a program for people with disabilities and both developed a love for sports. They began with horse riding and wheelchair basketball but later pursued different sports—Lewis in wheelchair racing and Andrade in boccia.

“I loved the speed of racing,” said Lewis, who trains in Canada. “I chose an individual sport because Bermuda had few Para athletes back then. My first love was basketball, but I wanted to represent Bermuda.”

Andrade took up boccia after seeing Canadian Josh Vander Vies play without legs or arms. “I was amazed by how he played and realized I had a talent for it,” Andrade said. She was drawn to boccia’s strategy and technical skills.

Support and Achievements At the South Paris Arena, Andrade competed in the boccia semi-final against French player Aurelie Aubert on September 1. While the crowd cheered for Aubert, Andrade had her own support team—her family and Lewis’ family—wearing pink T-shirts and cheering her on.

Andrade finished fourth, the closest any Bermudian has come to winning a Paralympic medal so far. “The semi-final was intense, and I’m proud of how I fought until the end,” Andrade said.

Lewis was training during Andrade’s match but kept up with the results through updates from her mom. “I’m incredibly proud of Yushae. She showed great determination,” Lewis said.

Breaking New Ground Lewis is Bermuda’s first Para athletics athlete, and Andrade is the first boccia player from Bermuda to compete in the Paralympics. Andrade often explains boccia to people back home, who are curious about the sport.

“It feels surreal to be the first Bermudian in boccia. I’m often asked about it, and I enjoy explaining the game,” Andrade said.

She trains with two other boccia players and shares her experience about major competitions with them. Andrade hopes her success in Paris will help grow Para sports in Bermuda and inspire more people.

“I believe Para sports will continue to grow because of the spotlight on me,” she said .