8 Paralympic Athletes to Watch THis summer
The Paralympics are almost here! The competition will be intense from the pool to the track and beyond. Get into the Games and learn about these eight amazing athletes you should watch in Paris.
Jessica Heims
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Jessica Heims fell in love with track and field at ten years old after watching her older sister compete. When she was 11, Heims met fellow Para athlete Scout Bassett, who introduced her to Para Track and Field — and the rest is history. While discus is her specialty, Heims has also competed in past races like the 100m, 200m, and 400m dash.
Heims currently holds the national record for Paralympic discus after throwing for 37.23 meters at the Drake Relays in 2022 and will look to earn her first Paralympic medal.
Anastasia Pagonis
Sport: Swimming
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
When Anastasia Pagonis began to lose her sight at age eleven, she turned to the pool and fell in love with swimming. At just 17 years old, Pagonis turned in an incredible performance at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She won a gold medal and set a record in the 400m freestyle SM11, and followed that win up with a bronze-medal performance in the 200m Individual Medley SM11.
When she’s not swimming, Anastasia likes to use social media to educate others on paralympic sports and visual impairment and post about her adorable guide dog, Radar.
Jessica Heims
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Jessica Heims fell in love with track and field at ten years old after watching her older sister compete. When she was 11, Heims met fellow Para athlete Scout Bassett, who introduced her to Para Track and Field — and the rest is history. While discus is her specialty, Heims has also competed in past races like the 100m, 200m, and 400m dash.
Heims currently holds the national record for Paralympic discus after throwing for 37.23 meters at the Drake Relays in 2022 and will look to earn her first Paralympic medal.
Anastasia Pagonis
Sport: Swimming
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
When Anastasia Pagonis began to lose her sight at age eleven, she turned to the pool and fell in love with swimming. At just 17 years old, Pagonis turned in an incredible performance at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She won a gold medal and set a record in the 400m freestyle SM11, and followed that win up with a bronze-medal performance in the 200m Individual Medley SM11.
When she’s not swimming, Anastasia likes to use social media to educate others on paralympic sports and visual impairment and post about her adorable guide dog, Radar.
Hailey Danz
Sport: Paratriathlon
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Sports have been in Hailey Danz’s blood since childhood, as she loved basketball, volleyball, and downhill skiing. Later, in 2011, Danz applied for a job at the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, which she accepted on the condition that she would try a paratriathlon. Just two years after her first paratriathlon, Danz won the ITU Paratriathlon — and in 2015, Danz was named USA Triathlon Paratriathlete of the Year.
Paratriathlon wasn’t an Olympic event until 2016, when Danz won the silver medal. She repeated at the Tokyo Games, bringing another silver medal home from the Paralympics.
Scout Bassett
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016
ㅤ
Scout Bassett grew up in an orphanage in China before being adopted by an American couple in 1995. When she got to America, Bassett joined different sports groups to improve her English-speaking abilities. At 14, Bassett learned about the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and started participating in track and field. In 2016, Bassett competed in her first-ever Paralympic games, placing fifth in the 100m and tenth in the long jump.
Hailey Danz
Sport: Paratriathlon
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Sports have been in Hailey Danz’s blood since childhood, as she loved basketball, volleyball, and downhill skiing. Later, in 2011, Danz applied for a job at the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, which she accepted on the condition that she would try a paratriathlon. Just two years after her first paratriathlon, Danz won the ITU Paratriathlon — and in 2015, Danz was named USA Triathlon Paratriathlete of the Year.
Paratriathlon wasn’t an Olympic event until 2016, when Danz won the silver medal. She repeated at the Tokyo Games, bringing another silver medal home from the Paralympics.
Scout Bassett
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016
ㅤ
Scout Bassett grew up in an orphanage in China before being adopted by an American couple in 1995. When she got to America, Bassett joined different sports groups to improve her English-speaking abilities. At 14, Bassett learned about the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and started participating in track and field. In 2016, Bassett competed in her first-ever Paralympic games, placing fifth in the 100m and tenth in the long jump.
Femita Ayanbeku
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
In 2015, Femita Ayanbeku was introduced to the Paralympics by a friend (and now teammate) Jerome Singleton. It seems nearly impossible for someone to make their first Paralympic squad in less than a year, but Ayanbeku did it. She competed in the 100m and 200m races, placing twelfth and sixth respectively. Ayanbeku qualified for the same events in 2020 but could not compete in the finals due to contracting COVID.
Ixhelt Gonzalez
Sport: Wheelchair Basketball
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Ixhelt Gonzalez was introduced to wheelchair basketball early after seeing her older brother compete. Gonzalez started playing and made the U.S. Wheelchair Basketball team in 2018 when she was thirteen. Gonzalez made the Paralympic squad in 2020 and brought home a bronze medal with the team.
Femita Ayanbeku
Sport: Track & Field
Paralympics: 2016, 2020, 2024
ㅤ
In 2015, Femita Ayanbeku was introduced to the Paralympics by a friend (and now teammate) Jerome Singleton. It seems nearly impossible for someone to make their first Paralympic squad in less than a year, but Ayanbeku did it. She competed in the 100m and 200m races, placing twelfth and sixth respectively. Ayanbeku qualified for the same events in 2020 but could not compete in the finals due to contracting COVID.
Ixhelt Gonzalez
Sport: Wheelchair Basketball
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Ixhelt Gonzalez was introduced to wheelchair basketball early after seeing her older brother compete. Gonzalez started playing and made the U.S. Wheelchair Basketball team in 2018 when she was thirteen. Gonzalez made the Paralympic squad in 2020 and brought home a bronze medal with the team.
Whitney Dosty
Sport: Sitting Volleyball
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Whitney Dosty might be a familiar name, as she played volleyball at the University of Arizona and professionally abroad before an ankle injury derailed her career in standing volleyball. Rather than let that end her time in volleyball, Dosty pivoted to sitting volleyball in 2016. Dosty qualified for the Paralympic squad in 2020 and won a gold medal in Tokyo.
Sarah Adam
Sport: Wheelchair Rugby
Paralympics: 2024
ㅤ
Sarah Adam was first introduced to wheelchair rugby while volunteering as part of her Occupational Therapy studies. In 2019, Adam began playing the sport herself, making her way onto the US Wheelchair Rugby team in 2022. At the Parapan Games in 2023, Adam became the first woman to win a gold medal with the USA Wheelchair Rugby squad. Adam is the only woman on the Paris 2024 wheelchair rugby team.
Whitney Dosty
Sport: Sitting Volleyball
Paralympics: 2020, 2024
ㅤ
Whitney Dosty might be a familiar name, as she played volleyball at the University of Arizona and professionally abroad before an ankle injury derailed her career in standing volleyball. Rather than let that end her time in volleyball, Dosty pivoted to sitting volleyball in 2016. Dosty qualified for the Paralympic squad in 2020 and won a gold medal in Tokyo.
Sarah Adam
Sport: Wheelchair Rugby
Paralympics: 2024
ㅤ
Sarah Adam was first introduced to wheelchair rugby while volunteering as part of her Occupational Therapy studies. In 2019, Adam began playing the sport herself, making her way onto the US Wheelchair Rugby team in 2022. At the Parapan Games in 2023, Adam became the first woman to win a gold medal with the USA Wheelchair Rugby squad. Adam is the only woman on the Paris 2024 wheelchair rugby team.