PARIS, France — The 2024 Paris Paralympics have kicked off, and several Illinois athletes are looking to make a name for themselves on the biggest stage in sports.
News 8 has compiled a list of athletes with Illinois ties who will be representing the United States.
Sarah Adam
While Sarah Adam's hometown might be Naperville, the Paralympian has Quad Cities ties as well! Adam studied at Augustana College and now, her parents live right here in Moline. She is the first woman ever to win a gold medal with USA Wheelchair Rugby during the Parapan American Games Santiago 2023. She is also the only woman competing in this year's games and the first to make Team USA for the Olympics.
Marco DeLaRosa
USA, Shooting
DeLaRosa was born and raised in Chicago, and he's making his second trip to the Paralympic Games after also representing Team USA in 2016. He's a former Marine who was paralyzed after being shot in the back while trying to stop a robbery outside of Camp Pendleton.
Ixhelt Gonzalez
USA, Wheelchair Basketball
Another Chicago native, Gonzalez has participated in the Paris and Tokyo Paralympic Games. During the 2020 competition, she took home a bronze medal. Outside of the Olympics, Gonzalez was a member of the U.S. women's wheelchair basketball team in 2018, when she was just 13 years old.
Isaac Jean-Paul
USA, Track and field
Originally from Evanston, Jean-Paul previously took home a bronze medal in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Long before he punched his ticket to Paris, he was a five-time All-American at Lewis University in the high jump.
Keegan Knott
USA, Swimming
Knott is making her second Paralympic appearance after previously representing Team USA in the Tokyo games. She's originally from Lake Villa and began competitively swimming when she was seven years old.
Ahalya Lettenberger
USA, Swimming
Lettenberger made her first Paralympic appearance in 2020, where she took home a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle. Now on her second trip to the games, she calls Glen Ellyn home and also swims for Rice University in Houston.
Noelle Malkamaki
USA, Track and field
Malkamaki is a Decatur native and is making her first trip to the Paralympics. She's previously taken home two gold medals in Worlds in the shot put in 2023 and 2024.
Chuck Melton
USA, Wheelchair rugby
Melton is no stranger to the games; his trip to Paris is his third time representing Team USA in the Paralympics. He's previously taken home silver medals in 2016 and 2020 and calls Richview home.
Eric Newby
USA, Wheelchair rugby
Newby is also on his third trip to the Paralympics, joining Melton in his silver medal wins in 2016 and 2020. He's coming to Paris by way of Nashville, IL.
Brian Siemann
USA, Track and field
Siemann, a Champaign native, is making his fourth trip to the Paralympics after previously joining Team USA in 2012, 2016 and 2020. He took home a bronze medal at worlds in 2023 in the 400-meter.
Kendall Gretsch
USA, Triathlon
Gretsch has previously competed in the Paralympics in 2018, 2020 and 2022. During her appearances, she racked up a total of four gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal in varying events. The 2014 USA Triathlon Female Paratriathlete of the Year calls Downers Grove home.