For those who felt an absence of pleasure throughout the lull between the Olympic and Paralympic Video games, you needn’t have fearful. The Paralympic Video games offered us with loads of thrilling moments, together with extra historic occasions.
Staff USA Takes Gold Twice
Staff USA had an excellent exhibiting on the Paris Paralympic Video games with two gold medals. Jason Tabansky took dwelling gold within the males’s particular person W1 division, and Matt Stutzman took dwelling gold within the males’s compound division.
Tabansky was a comparatively late addition to Staff USA’s para archery staff. He didn’t qualify throughout the U.S. Paralympic Staff Trials in Might however was added to the roster in late June after Christopher Davis of Australia turned injured and needed to withdraw. Tabansky’s efficiency on the Trials earned him the primary alternate spot, so he was known as up. Evidently, he made probably the most out of his alternative, taking dwelling gold after defeating Han Guifei of China.
Stutzman was the primary para archer to compete by utilizing his toes on the London Video games in 2012. Quick ahead to 2024—Stutzman’s fourth Video games—and he’s a champion. He competed towards Mexico’s Victor Sardina Viveros, making historical past because the first-ever matchup between two “armless archers” on the Paralympic stage. He additionally took dwelling gold after defeating Ai Xinliang of China.
Different Notable USA Moments
Jordan White was the youngest athlete, Olympic or Paralympic, to signify Staff USA. He had a hard-fought battle towards Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek within the first spherical, tying two of the 4 units earlier than in the end shedding the spherical. He completed 17th within the males’s recurve division.
Eric Bennett took the stage at his fifth Paralympic Video games, making historical past as the primary American para archer to compete in 5 Paralympic Video games. He additionally completed in 17th within the males’s recurve division.
KJ Polish held his personal towards He Zihao of China within the quarterfinals, profitable two units and tying one other. He ended up shedding the match by one level, taking dwelling fifth place within the males’s compound division.
Tracy Otto additionally made it to the quarterfinals, securing eighth place within the ladies’s particular person W1 division after defeating Liu Jing within the semifinals.
Thrilling Staff USA Information From off the Podium
Along with ending within the high 8 individually and taking the stage with Tabansky within the combined staff W1 division, Otto—a first-time Paralympic archer—marked two monumental moments in her life on the Video games. Her boyfriend, Rick, proposed to her below the romantic lights of the Eiffel Tower, and some hours later, she introduced that she’s pregnant! That’s a number of thrilling bulletins for one summer season.
Jodie Grinham and Tracy Otto Can Do Each
When Jodie Grinham of Nice Britain received the bronze medal, she earned the title of the primary pregnant Paralympic athlete to win a medal of any variety. She secured the medal whereas seven months pregnant together with her second baby. Grinham practiced for the Video games by getting ready for the potential for sudden actions if the child began kicking whereas she was at full draw. I’d say that her follow paid off.
See You in L.A.
The Paralympic archery rounds introduced pleasure and extra historic moments to the game, placing a pleasant bow on the top of a really exceptional Olympic and Paralympic 12 months.
Preserve your eye on these athletes as we stay up for 2028. See you in L.A.!
