Did you know that more than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have a disability? Disabilities exist in many forms— some are visible, while others are not. Living with a disability can come with challenges, especially in a world designed for able-bodied people, but it can also be a superpower.
At TrackGirlz, we celebrate and uplift the voices of disabled athletes. We believe track and field is for everyone. While Disability Pride Month wasn’t officially recognized until 2015, in honor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law in July 1990, athletes with disabilities have long been a vital part of the sport.
The Paralympic Games, which began in 1960, included women from the start. That set them apart from the Olympics, which didn’t reach equal gender representation across all events until 2012. One of the earliest trailblazers in Para Sport was Rosalie Hixson, a dominant force in throwing and swimming. She competed in four Paralympics, earning 18 medals, more than 70 percent of them gold, and won over 250 medals across her athletic career. She was the first woman inducted into the National Wheelchair Athletic Association Hall of Fame, recognized for her achievements.
Another pioneer, Candace Cable, became the first woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. After a car accident left her paralyzed, she discovered wheelchair racing and para-skiing. Her career includes multiple Paralympic golds, as well as podium finishes in the Boston and LA Marathons. Beyond sport, she has become a leading advocate for disability justice. “We’re all only non-disabled temporarily,” she says. “Sooner or later everyone’s body breaks down. That puts me ahead of the game because I already know how to live outside of the old order.”
Marla Runyan broke another barrier when she became the first legally blind athlete to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, she placed eighth in the 1500 meters. She also earned medals at the Paralympics and Pan American Games and continued to excel in major marathons. In recognition of her historic career, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame.
Today, a new generation of Paralympians is making their mark. Catarina Guimarães, a sprinter and soccer player with cerebral palsy, has competed internationally for Team USA in both sports. She recently raced at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe and helped the U.S. team earn a silver medal at the CP Football World Cup in Spain.
On the field side, 19-year-old Samantha Heyison is a rising star in discus and shot put. Born with constricted band syndrome, she began Para track and field in 2021 and has since earned multiple state titles. She is a two-time U.S. Paralympics Track and Field High School Athlete of the Year and placed fifth in the discus and ninth in shot put at her most recent international competition.
These athletes remind us that excellence in sport doesn’t look just one way. Disability is not a limitation, it’s part of the human experience; and track and field is better, stronger, and more inspiring when everyone is included. At TrackGirlz, we’ll keep pushing for more accessibility, more visibility, and more love for disabled athletes, not just during Disability Pride Month, but always.
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