Paralympic Track & Field World Junior Team

2019 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field World Junior Championships Team Selected

2019 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field World Junior Championships Team Selected

By Brianna Tammaro U.S. Paralympics

 

Twenty U.S. athletes will represent Team USA at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships from Aug. 1-4 in Nottwil, Switzerland as announced by U.S. Paralympics Track & Field. Many of the young athletes between the ages of 14 and 19 will make their international debuts with the U.S. team at Sport Arena Nottwil, which hosts the championships for the second time after the inaugural event in 2017.

“This talented group represents the next generation of Team USA and we cannot wait to see how they perform on the world stage,” said Cathrine Erickson, director of U.S. Paralympics Track & Field. “More importantly, this is an excellent development opportunity for our younger athletes to experience the environment and level of international competition. As we look ahead to Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, we’re hopeful this will prepare them for a successful path to the national team and to future Games.”

Ezra Frech clears the highbar during the 2019 Angel City Games. (Photo by Christopher Di Virgilio).

 

The U.S. team is led by several athletes who have national and international experience. Noah Malone (Fishers, Indiana) is the only member of the team currently on the national team. Malone, a rising high school senior, recently won an Indiana High School Athletic Association state title in the boys 200-meter and will compete on his first world junior championship team. Making their return to Nottwil are Hannah Dederick (Liberty Lake, Washington), Elizabeth Floch (Spokane Valley, Washington), Michelle Cross (Rancho Santa Margarita, California), Sophie Munter (Spokane, Washington), and Nelya Stary Schasfoort (Avon Lake, Ohio), who all competed in 2017.

Highlighted by a five-medal performance by Dederick, Team USA athletes won 36 medals (18 gold, 8 silver, 10 bronze) to top the medal table at the last edition of the world junior championships in Nottwil.

The championships, which take place over four days, are organized for two age groups – youth athletes aged between 14 and 17 years and junior athletes aged between 18 and 19 years – and serve as a pathway for talented young athletes towards regional and world championships, as well as the Paralympic Games. Approximately 350 athletes from over 50 nations are expected to compete in 2019. For more information, visit the event website.

 

NameHometownClassification
Jacob AllenKingwood, TexasT54
Jackson AtwoodSpokane Valley, Wash.T54
Sydney BartaArlington, Va.T64
Sam BrymOmaha, Neb.T37
Annie CareyBoise, IdahoT44
Michelle CrossRancho Santa Margarita, Calif.T37
Hannah DederickLiberty Lake, Wash.T54
Simon DetmerChicago, Ill.T37
Elizabeth FlochSpokane Valley, Wash.T54
Ezra FrechLos Angeles, Calif.T63
Joel GomezEncinitas, Calif.T13
Aubrey HeadonRochelle, Ill.T37
Adam KielAcworth, Ga.T64
Collin LancasterDacula, Ga.T54
Noah MaloneFishers, Ind.T12
Sophie MunterSpokane, Wash.T34
Matthew PaintinLittleton, Colo.T35
Nelya Stary SchasfoortAvon lake, OhioT45
Taylor TalbotNyssa, Ore.T13
Henry WatermanCosta Mesa, Calif.T64

 

 

 

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