Abdellatif Baka- Algeria- Track & Field
Abdellatif won the men’s 1500 final in the T13, the visually impaired, in Rio on September 11. He set a world record with the time of 3:48.29. Tamiru Demisse of Ethiopia, who ran, 3:48.49 won silver, Kenyan Henry Kirwa got bronze with a time of 3:49.59, and Adellatif’s brother, Fouad Baka, finished fourth at 3:49.84. This is worth mentioning because during the August Olympic Games Matthew Centrowitz, from the USA, won the men’s 1500 with a time of 3:50.00. You read that correctly. The first four to finish in the Paralympic event could won gold in the Olympic games.
'Hurricane Hannah' Cockroft -Great Britain- Track & Field
Hannah, a wheelchair racer, came to Rio as a favorite to win after her stunning performance at the Paralympic London games. Amazingly she as able to win gold in every single one of her events this year. While at Rio she was able to win the 800m, 400m (with a world record) and 100m in the T33/34 class.
Omara Durand- Cuba- Track & Field
Omara Durand is hailed as the fastest female Paralympian of all time. She won the final of the 200m on September 12. She competes in the T12 class for the visually impaired and she and her guide, Yuniol Kindelan, crossed the finish line with a time of 23.05. Omara is the record holder in her class for the 100m, 200m and 400m. She left Rio with three gold, one for each of her events, the T12 100m, 200m, and 400m.
Terezinha Guilhermina- Brazil- Track & Field
Terezinha’s nickname is ‘the fastest blind women in the world’ and she is know for her flamboyant outfits. Between Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 she has won three gold, one silver, and two bronze models. She can now add one silver and one bronze to her collection. She runs with a guide, as she’s in the T11 class, and even had Usain Bolt guide her when he was promoting the Mano a Mano Challenge at the Brazilian Jockey Club on April 19.
Marie-Amelie Le Fur- France- Track& Field
On September 12 Marie- Amelie broke her second world record in the T44 class in three days. The first she broke on September 9 when she broke the world record in long jump after jumping 5.83m. Last October she became the first female leg amputee to break 60 seconds in the 400m and shaved just a bit more off with a time of 59.27.
Rebecca Murray -United States- Wheelchair Basketball
As in the the August Olympic games the USA dominated in women’s basketball in the Paralympic games. Rebecca Murray was on the team at the last Paralympics in London when they only finished fourth, so she came to Rio with a goal. After scoring 33 of the 62 points in the gold medal match she achieved that goal. That’s right Rebecca Murray scored a little less than half the points and helped her team beat Germany 62-45. The mens' team from the team USA also won gold in wheelchair basketball, mirroring the August Olympic games where Team USA won gold in men's and women's basketball as well.
Grace Norman- United States- Triathlon
Grace became the first ever female Paralympic triathlon on Sunday, September 11, as the sport debuted in Rio. She is only 18, the youngest athlete participating in the PT4 event. Grace's win was an upset of the heavy favorite, Great Britain's Lauren Steadman ,who won silver. Grace also won a bronze for team USA in the 400m T43/44 class.
Ricardinho -Brazil- 5-a-side football
To anyone who follows Paralympic 5-a-side football, or soccer, Brazil winning gold was no surprise. That is because Brazil has one gold in 5-a-side in every single Paralympics since the sort first debuted in Athens 2004. This year was no different as Ricardinho scored the winning goal against Iran. Even though this is not their first time winning gold in this even winning on home turf was something extra special.
Ellie Simmonds- Great Britain- Swimming
Bradley Snyder- United States- Swimming
Bradley Snyder won gold at the London Paralympics just one year, to the day, after he lost his eyesight after he functioned an IED while deployed to Afghanistan. He came away from London with another gold medal and a silver. Bradley went home from Rio with three gold and one silver.
Matt Stutzman- United States- Archery
Being armless never stopped Matt Stutzman from doing archery. He took up archery to feed his family as he had no way of supporting them financially as he could not find a job. In the 2012 London Paralympic games he won silver in the Individual Compound. He was not able to win any medals at the Paralympic games but his inspiring story truly embodied the spirit of the Paralympic games.
Sarah has won 22 Paralympic medals in three different sports over the course of representing Team GB. She has won 11 gold, 8 silver, and 3 bronze medals and has participated in a grand total of seven Paralympics dating back to Barcelona 1992. She is the most decorated female Paralympic athlete in history. She was able to win her 14 gold medal on the last day of the Rio Paralympics.
Kostiantyn Symashko- Ukraine- Football 7-a-side (Soccer)
Third paraolympics. London got gold over Russia, 2:1. In five games he gave only two goals. In London got silver, Russia got gold. In 2015 World Championships Ukraine also got second to Russia. Arguable the best goal keeper in the Paralympics. With Kostiantyn's help the 7-a-side football team won gold in Rio.
Laurentia Tan- Singapore- Equestrian
Laurentia Tan suffers from cerebral palsy and profound deafness. She took up horseback riding after being introduced to the sport through physiotherapy. In Beijing she was able to take home 2 bronze medals, one of only two athletes to medal on behalf of Singapore. In London she won a silver and a bronze, she was Singapore's only medalist in that Paralympics.
Alex Zandardi- Italy- Road Cycling
If you follow Formula 1 you may recognize this name because in 2001 he was in a crash while racing at 200mph that cost him both his legs. But this guy just can not get enough speed. He is a road cyclist that had massive success in London in 2012. But he did not stop there, he came to Rio with high hopes and came away with two golds and one silver.
Carlos Serrano Zarate- Columbia- Swimming
Carlos only took up swimming in 2013 and is already an emerging star at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. He debuted in 2015 at the World Championships where he won gold in 200m breaststroke, while breaking the world record. Then in the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games he earned 5 more gold medals, and set a new Americas record in the 50m butterfly S7. He went home to Columbia with a gild and silver, and a bronze. He is one of the top five most decorated Columbian athletes and he is only 18.
