Paralympic athletes to watch at Tokyo 2020
Expect Paralympic legends and debutants at Tokyo 2020 with one thing on their minds: gold
From world records and titles to Paralympic debutants, who are those aiming to be top of the podium at Tokyo 2020?
Archery
Zahra Nemati, Iran
Nemati is the one to beat after winning Paralympic gold at the women's individual recurve open at London 2012 and then again four years later at Rio 2016. The defending champion also competed at Rio in both Olympic and Paralympic archery events, which makes her the only female archer from Iran to do so. She is currently in training for her third chance at Paralympic glory in Tokyo.
Athletics
Markus Rehm, Germany
In June, the reigning Paralympic champion topped his T64 men's long jump world record at the European Championships by 14 centimetres, proving that he is in phenomenal form. The Blade Jumper, as he is aptly called, is looking to defend his Rio 2016 title in the same event at Tokyo 2020.
READ MORE: Markus Rehm: ‘Don’t allow anybody to tell you what you are able or not able to do’
Badminton
Leani Ratri Oktila, Indonesia
The Indonesian player is a triple world champion - in women's singles 2019 and mixed doubles 2017 and 2019 - and she will be going for gold again when Para badminton makes its debut at Tokyo 2020. She played her best season in 2019 where she notched up 12 gold, two silvers and one bronze medal and was also crowned Badminton World Federation's (BWF) Para Badminton Player of the year.
Boccia
David Smith, Great Britain
The British athlete is leading the charge at Tokyo 2020 after topping the world rankings in the BC1 individual category in 2018 and earning a world championship title in the same year. The two-time Paralympic champion (Beijing 2008, Rio 2016), who sported a blue mohawk in the last Games, will go for his third Paralympic title and may surprise us again with a colourful hairstyle come Games time.
Canoe Sprint
Scott Martlew, New Zealand
Two-time world champion medallist Scott Martlew from New Zealand will be making his second appearance at the Games after his maiden debut in Rio 2016 where he placed eighth. But this year, Martlew may just have a chance at the podium. Earlier this year, he went head-to-head with able-bodied canoe sprinters at the national championships and won K2 200m and K2 1000m bronze medals.
READ MORE: Scott Martlew Time to show what I can do
Cycling Road
Carol Cooke, Australia
Carol Cooke knew she wanted to be an Olympian after watching the Olympic Games Montreal 1972 but it wasn't until the Paralympic Games in London 2012 that the Canadian-born, now Australian, would be at the starting line-up on the world's biggest stage. She won a gold medal at London 2012 and doubled that with two golds at Rio 2016. Her journey is one of never giving up no matter what challenges you face. Cooke will be 60 at the start of the Games.
READ MORE: Carol Cooke: Don't tell Carol Cooke what she can't do
Cycling Track
Ricardo Ten Argiles, Spain
Argiles is a three-time Paralympic champion in swimming but switched gears to the cycling track in 2017. Ever since then, the Spanish athlete, who has an impairment in his arms and left leg, has been cruising high on the circuit. In 2020, he won 200m and 15km golds at the Track World Championships. We can only expect the very best in his Para cycling debut this 2021.
Equestrian
Sanne Voets, The Netherlands
Voets was a late addition to the Paralympic team in Rio 2016, but she still came away with gold in dressage, which was the country's first gold in the sport. Now the current reigning World and European champion (team, individual, freestyle) is going for Tokyo 2020 and will be riding all out to add a second Paralympic gold medal to her collection. She may even be appearing once again with her horse Demantur.
Football 5-a-side
Jefinho, Brazil
Jefinho, who was born with glaucoma and was visually impaired from the age of seven, is also called the 'Paralympic Pele' for his similar playing style to the football legend from his country. Jefinho is considered the best blind footballer in history and has been a key figure in making his nation champions of the sport since it was introduced in Athens 2004. He has scored three Paralympic gold medals and he will be looking to drive home a fourth in Tokyo.
Goalball
Amanda Dennis, United States
Dennis made her Paralympic debut at 18 at London 2012 where the team finished a disappointing sixth place, after they were crowned the champions four years earlier at Beijing 2008. At her second Games in Rio 2016, Dennis was able to help steer the team back to the podium to win bronze. In Tokyo she's determined to bring her A-Game to her third Paralympics and score another medal.
Judo
Eduardo Avila Sanchez, Mexico
'The Judo Man’ from Mexico, Sanchez is a three-time Paralympic medallist having won two gold titles in Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 and in between a bronze medal at London 2012. In his fourth Paralympics at Tokyo, Sanchez will attempt to defend his title and end his Paralympic career on a high note as he plans to retire from the mat after the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Powerlifting
Lucy Ejike, Nigeria
Powerlifting at the Paralympics wouldn't be complete without the presence of veteran powerlifter Lucy Ejike. The Nigerian star has represented her nation five times at the Games since Sydney 2000, winning three golds and two silver medals. The 43-year-old legend in the sport will be hoping to lift another medal at her sixth Games in Tokyo.
Rowing
Roman Polianskyi, Ukraine
Ukraine Para rower Roman Polianskyi took the world by storm by clinching gold in the men's single sculls in his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016, beating crowd favourite Erik Horrie from Australia. And he's been netting medals ever since, namely, gold and silver at the World Championships in 2018 and silver in 2017. He will be going for another Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020.
Sitting Volleyball
TANG Xuemei, People's Republic of China
TANG Xuemei discovered sitting volleyball after she lost part of her leg in the Sichuan Province earthquake in 2008. Four years later, she made her debut in the sport at the London 2012 Paralympic Games where she helped China win gold. At Tokyo 2020, Tang is looking to reclaim the crown from reigning champions USA who defeated China in the final at Rio 2016.
READ MORE: Tang Xuemei: The will to live and be better
Shooting
Rubina Francis, India
India's highest ranked female para-shooter, Rubina Francis, is looking in phenomenal form this year ahead of Tokyo. The shooter not only won gold at the 10m air pistol event at the 2021 Para Sport Cup in Peru this June, but also broke a world record.
Swimming
Jessica Long, United States
The 13-time Paralympic champion is enjoying her swimming more than ever and can’t wait to be back racing at the Games this summer in Tokyo. It will be her fifth Paralympic Games and she will be aiming to add to her already considerable haul of medals. On the road to the Games, Long has been focusing on her mental health and work-life balance.
READ MORE: Jessica Long is defining her own success
Table Tennis
Melissa Tapper, Australia
Table tennis star Melissa Tapper made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first - and only - Australian athlete to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist is now gunning for a title at Tokyo 2020.
READ MORE: Melissa Tapper: 'No player is Para or able-bodied in my head
Taekwondo
Juan Diego Garcia Lopez, Mexico
In 2019, at the age 16, Garcia López became Mexico's first world champion in Para taekwondo and, just months later, won gold again at Lima 2019 Parapan American Games. Currently ranked number two in the K44 under -75kg class, the Mexican champion is setting his sights on victory when he and the sport make their debut at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Triathlon
WANG Jiachao, People's Republic of China
WANG made his swimming debut at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games at the age of 13, then went on to compete in both Beijing 2008 and London 2012. His Paralympic medal tally includes one gold, four silvers and a bronze. He retired from swimming in 2015, but makes a return to the Games in triathlon at Tokyo 2020.
READ MORE: Swimmer Wang Jiachao on track to return to the Games as a Para triathlete
Wheelchair basketball
Jannik Blair, Australia
Australia's wheelchair basketball team is aiming to net another Paralympic medal after winning silver at London 2012. At the helm of this year's Tokyo campaign is Jannik Blair who was part of the winning team back in London. He hopes to lead Australia's wheelchair basketball squad to glory at the Games in Japan.
Wheelchair Fencing
YU CHUI YEE Alison, Hong Kong
YU CHUI YEE is a veteran of wheelchair fencing. She has consistently been a podium winner since her debut at Athens 2004 right through to Rio 2016. In total, the Hong Kong athlete has won seven golds (five individual, two team), and three silver medals (two individual, one team). With these results, Yu Chui will be aiming to add more medals to her collection in Tokyo.
Wheelchair Rugby
Joe Delagrave, United States
After competing at London 2012 and winning bronze, and upgrading to silver at Rio 2016, the USA wheelchair rugby co-captain is aiming for Paralympic glory in Tokyo. Armed with his message of hope and resilience, he intends to steer his team to victory at the Games.
Wheelchair Tennis
Jordanne Whiley, Great Britain
Whiley has won numerous Grand Slam titles and even completed a calendar Grand Slam but despite having gone to three Paralympic Games, there is one thing she is yet to add to her trophy cabinet: a gold medal. Now the two-time Paralympic bronze medallist is eyeing Tokyo 2020 as her chance to make her lifelong dream come true.
READ MORE: Jordanne Whiley: All I've ever wanted is a gold medal