Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020
Tokyo 2020 Highlights#
Team USA Concludes Successful Showing at Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Following Year Postponement #
TOKYO – After 13 days of competition across 22 sports, the Closing Ceremony on Sunday marked the end to a safe Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. After the one-year delay, the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team comprised of 242 athletes out of 4,403 total athletes from 164 countries, returned home with 104 total medals (37 gold, 36 silver, 31 bronze). The performance placed the U.S. the third ranked country for golds on the medal table and fourth for total medals.
“Tokyo has given us one of the most extraordinary Paralympic Games in history,” said Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “The perseverance, strength and determination of our Team USA athletes made us proud beyond belief. Thank you, Japan, and thank you Team USA for showing us the incredible power of sport and sportsmanship.”
Team USA competed in 19 sports, earning podium finishes in 15. A total of 129 U.S. medalists contributed to the country’s haul - featuring 62 first-time medalists in Tokyo and 26 athletes claiming multiple medals at the Games including five Paralympians earning at least three podium appearances each. U.S. teams dominated, earning gold in women’s sitting volleyball and men’s wheelchair basketball, silver in wheelchair rugby and women’s goalball and bronze in women’s wheelchair basketball. Of the 129 Americans who earned medals, 50 percent competed in collegiate athletics.
“It’s been a tremendous honor to serve as the chef de mission in Tokyo,” said Julie Dussliere, USOPC chief of Paralympic sport. “In addition to the incredible performances of our athletes, the Tokyo Games also shine a spotlight on the world’s ability to come together through sport in the most difficult of times. Our athletes, coaches, staff and National Governing Bodies’ relentless dedication and hard work is something I’ll forever remember.”
Team USA’s showing in Tokyo featured record-breaking and historic performances, highlighted by an 18-haul medal day across seven sports - a Tokyo Games single-day record. Team USA athletes rewrote nine world records in swimming and track and field. Five-time Paralympian Jessica Long furthered her legacy by earning her 29th Paralympic medal, and Brad Snyder became the first U.S. male triathlete to win Olympic or Paralympic gold.
Off the field of play, Team USA kept focused to maintain a safe environment, including following rigorous pre-travel and on-the-ground testing and protocol. The COVID-19 countermeasures developed by the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, International Paralympic Committee and government of Japan allowed for the Games to be executed in a safe manner. All of Team USA’s approximately 560 delegation members completed daily COVID-19 testing, and between the Opening and Closing ceremonies, only one U.S. delegate tested positive.
“There’s no doubt that this Games brought unprecedented challenges, but because of the commitment, dedication and processes in place, Team USA was able to keep the athletes’ health and well-being at the forefront of our mission, while ensuring the safety of the community around us,” said Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, USOPC chief medical officer. “With a heightened emphasis on COVID-19 countermeasures and the introduction of mental health support staff on the ground, we were able to foster a safe environment for our athletes, aiding in the passion and success we saw on the field of play.”
As the third-largest sporting event in the world, unprecedented broadcast hours allowed more fans to watch the Paralympic Games than ever before. NBC recorded more than 1,200 hours of coverage, the most in history, including the first-ever primetime broadcasts.
Additional Team USA Highlights:
- Team USA athletes broke nine world records in swimming and track and field.
- An 18-haul medal day across seven sports set a single-day record for Team USA.
- In his crossover to paratriathlon, Brad Snyder became the first U.S. male triathlete to win Olympic or Paralympic gold.
- Equestrian Roxanne Trunnell became the first American rider to win individual gold at an Olympic or Paralympic Games since 2000.
- Ian Seidenfeld became the first U.S. Para table tennis champion in 25 years coached by father and Atlanta 1996 Paralympic medalist Mitchell Seidenfeld.
- Multi-medalists shined in Tokyo, with veteran Paralympic athletes adding to their impressive career medal hauls: Jessica Long - 29 (six in Tokyo); Tatyana McFadden - 20 (three in Tokyo), Raymond Martin - 10 (three in Tokyo); Cheri Madsen - 10 (two in Tokyo); Oksana Masters - 10 (two in Tokyo).
- U.S. rowers added to their silver streak in the PR3 mixed coxed four event, earning their seventh.
- Oksana Masters featured two gold medal podium-topping performances, cementing her legacy as a 10-time Paralympic medalist in four sports.
- Team USA swam to its first gold in the women’s 4x100-meter medley relay since 2004.
- Team USA debuted with a gold, record breaking performance in the 4x100 universal mixed relay.
- Evan Medell made history as the first U.S. medalist in Parataekwondo during the sport’s debut in Tokyo.
- First-time Paralympians shined with 62 athletes winning at least one Paralympic medal. Sprinter Nick Mayhugh grabbed the most medals in his Paralympic debut taking home three golds and one silver.
- Team USA came to Tokyo as reigning Paralympic champions in women’s sitting volleyball and men’s wheelchair basketball, winning back-to-back gold on the final day of competition.
- Men’s wheelchair basketball has recorded a Paralympic medal in 10 out of 13 possible Games since the sport was inducted into the program in 1968.
- The silver in wheelchair rugby marks the team taking a podium appearance in every Paralympic Games since the sport was added to the Paralympic program as an exhibition sport at Atlanta 1996.
- The dressage team earned bronze for the first Para-equestrian team medal in history.
- Steven Haxton won a silver medal in the men's va'a single 200m VL2. He wais the only dual sport athlete for Team USA competing at Tokyo 2020.
- Between individual and team sports, Team USA women accounted for 58 podium appearances, ranking 10th among countries total medal count.
Team USA: 37 Gold | 36 Silver | 31 Bronze | 104 Total#
Gold
Nicholas Mayhugh, Men's 100m T37
Raymond Martin, Men's 100m T52
Nicholas Mayhugh, Men's 200m T37
Breanna Clark, Women's 400m T20
Daniel Romanchuk, Men's 400m T54
Susannah Scaroni, Women's 5000m T54
Roderick Townsend-Roberts, Men's High Jump T47
Jeremy Campbell, Men's Discus Throw F64
Sam Grewe, Men's High Jump T63
United States, Mixed 4 x 100m Medley
Silver
Noah Malone, Men's 100m T12
Jaleen Roberts, Women's 100m T37
Brittni Mason, Women's 100m T47
Liza Corso, Women's 1500m T13
Raymond Martin, Men's 1500m T52
Brittni Mason, Women's 200m T47
Noah Malone, Men's 400m T12
Nicholas Mayhugh, Men's 400m T37
Raymond Martin, Men's 400m T52
Cheri Madsen, Women's 400m T54
Tatyana McFadden, Women's 800m T54
Cassie Mitchell, Women's Club Throw F51
Elexis Gillette, Men's Long Jump T11
Jaleen Roberts, Women's Long Jump T37
Roderick Townsend-Roberts, Men's Long Jump T47
Hagan Landry, Men's Shot Put F41
Dallas Wise, Men's High Jump T47
Bronze
Kym Crosby, Women's 100m T13
Deja Young, Women's 100m T47
Cheri Madsen, Women's 100m T54
Kym Crosby, Women's 400m T13
Tatyana McFadden, Women's 5000m T54
Alexa Halko, Women's 800m T34
Susannah Scaroni, Women's 800m T54
Justin Phongsavanh, Men's Javelin Throw F54
Isaac Jean-Paul, Men's Long Jump T13
Daniel Romanchuk, Men's Marathon T54
Joshua Cinnamo, Men's Shot Put F46
Jarryd Wallace, Men's 200m T64
Hunter Woodhall, Men's 400m T62
Trenten Merrill, Men's Long Jump T64
Gold
McKenzie Coan, Women's 400m Freestyle S7
Morgan Stickney, Women's 400m Freestyle S8
Anastasia Pagonis, Women's 400m Freestyle S11
Elizabeth Marks, Women's 100m Backstroke S6
Mallory Weggemann, Women's 100m Backstroke S7
Robert Griswold, Men's 100m Backstroke S8
Hannah Aspden, Women's 100m Backstroke S9
Gia Pergolini, Women's 100m Backstroke S13
Evan Austin, Men's 50m Butterfly S7
Robert Griswold, Men's 100m Butterfly S8
Jessica Long, Women's 100m Butterfly S8
Mikaela Jenkins, Women's 100m Butterfly S10
Mallory Weggemann, Women's 200m Individual Medley SM7
Jessica Long, Women's 200m Individual Medley SM8
United States, Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points
Silver
Elizabeth Marks, Women's 50m Freestyle S6
Leanne Smith, Women's 100m Freestyle S3
McKenzie Coan, Women's 100m Freestyle S7
Jessica Long, Women's 400m Freestyle S8
Jessica Long, Women's 100m Breaststroke SB7
David Abrahams, Men's 100m Breaststroke SB13
Mallory Weggemann, Women's 50m Butterfly S7
Elizabeth Smith, Women's 100m Butterfly S9
Ahalya Lettenberger, Women's 200m Individual Medley SM7
Colleen Young, Women's 200m Individual Medley SM13
Bronze
Jamal Hill, Men's 50m Freestyle S9
Evan Austin, Men's 400m Freestyle S7
Julia Gaffney, Women's 400m Freestyle S7
Matthew Torres, Men's 400m Freestyle S8
Julia Gaffney, Women's 100m Backstroke S7
Jessica Long, Women's 100m Backstroke S8
Sophia Herzog, Women's 100m Breaststroke SB6
Colleen Young, Women's 100m Breaststroke SB13
Elizabeth Marks, Women's 50m Butterfly S6
Anastasia Pagonis, Women's 200m Individual Medley SM11
Gold
Oksana Masters, Women's H4-5 - Time Trial
Oksana Masters, Women's H5 - Road Race
Shawn Morelli, Women's C4 - Time Trial
Silver
Aaron Keith, Men's C1 - Time Trial
Shawn Morelli, Women's C4 - 3km Pursuit
Bronze
Alicia Brelsford Dana, Women's H1-4 - Road Race
Jill Walsh, Women's T1-2 - Road Race
United States, Mixed Team Relay
Gold
Brad Snyder, Men's PTVI
Allysa Seely, Women's PTS2
Kendall Gretsch, Women's PTWC
Silver
Hailey Danz, Women's PTS2
Grace Norman, Women's PTS5
Gold
Roxanne Trunnell, Individual Championship Test - Grade I
Roxanne Trunnell, Individual Freestyle - Grade I
Bronze
United States, Team
Gold
United States, Men
Bronze
United States, Women
Gold
Kevin Mather, Men's Individual Recurve Open
Gold
United States, Women
Silver
United States, Women
Silver
Blake Haxton, Men's Canoe single VL2 200m
Silver
Benjamin Goodrich, Men's 100kg
Silver
United States, Mixed PR3 Coxed Four
Silver
United States, Mixed
Bronze
Evan Medell, Men's K44 +75kg M