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  • Meet the Illinois athletes and coaches heading to the Paralympics

    Aug 24, 2016 6:00 pm by Meaghan Downs
    Illini athletes and coaches, pictured here at a send-off celebration, will be heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the end of August to compete in the 2016 Paralympics.

    Illini athletes and coaches, pictured here at a send-off celebration, will be heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the end of August to compete in the 2016 Paralympics.

    Images

    • Illini athletes and coaches, pictured here at a send-off celebration, will be heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the end of August to compete in the 2016 Paralympics.
    • Megan Blunk, women's wheelchair basketball competitor
    • Paralympian Josh George, pictured far left and who will be competing in the 400, 800, 1500, 5000 and marathon, introduces athletes during a send-off event.

    Here's a list of individuals from the University of Illinois who will be participating in the 2016 U.S. Paralympics, held from Sept. 7-18 in Rio de Janeiro, as athletes and coaches. You can watch live stream events on paralympic.org and on NBC Sports. Competitor Hannah McFadden will be taking followers behind-the-scenes of the Paralympics on the #ILLINOIS Snapchat account.

    Women's and men's track and field 

    Brian Siemann, alumnus: 100, 400, 800

    Raymond Martin, student: 100, 400, 1500

    Aaron Pike, alumnus: 1500, marathon

    James Senbeta, alumnus: 800, 5000, marathon

    Joshua George, alumnus: 400, 800, 1500, 5000, marathon

    Gyu Dae Kim (representing South Korea), Parkland student enrolling this spring: 400, 800, 1500, 5000, marathon

    Chelsea McClammer, student: 400, 800, 1500, 5000 and marathon

    Kelsey LeFevour, graduate student: 100, 400, 800

    Hannah McFadden, student: 100, 400

    Tatyana McFadden, graduate student: 100, 400, 800, 1500, 5000 and marathon

    Susannah Scaroni, alumna: 800, marathon

    Amanda McGrory, graduate student: 800, 1500, 5000, marathon

    Adam Bleakney, USA Wheelchair Track head coach 

    Peter Park, USA Wheelchair Track equipment technician

    Daniel Romanchuk (high school student) who trains with the Illini year-round, will also be traveling to Rio.

     

    Women’s wheelchair basketball

    Gail Gaeng, alumna 

    Megan Blunk, graduate student

    Tracey Ferguson, alumna (representing Canada)

    Helen Freeman, alumna (representing Great Britain)

    Christina Schwab, alumna

    Stephanie Wheeler, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team

     

    Men's wheelchair basketball 

    Brian Bell, attended Illinois

    Nik Goncin, alumnus (representing Canada)

    Adam Lancia, alumnus (representing Canada)

    Hiroaki Kozai, alumnus (representing Japan)

    Steve Serio, alumnus

    Jonathan Vermette, attended Illinois (representing Canada)

     

    Quad Rugby

    Kevin Orr, alumnus: Head Coach of the Canadian Quad Rugby Team

     

    Rowing

    Edina Mueller, alumna (representing Germany)

     

    Sitting Volleyball

    Kari Miller, attended Illinois

     

    Tennis

    Dylan Alcott, attended Illinois (representing Australia) 

     

    Paralympian Josh George, who will be competing in the 400, 800, 1500, 5000 and marathon events in Rio, introduces his fellow athletes during a send-off event.