Meet the Iowa athletes competing in the Tokyo Paralympic Games

The Tokyo Paralympic Games start Tuesday, and Iowans can cheer on five local athletes that are representing Team USA.

Meet the athletes:

• Jessica Heims (400m and discus throw) — The University of Northern Iowa alum, who had her left leg amputated below her knee due to a congenital birth defect, has competed in track and field since she was 10. She's showcasing the Paralympic Games on her TikTok.
• Erin Kerkhoff (100m, 200m, 400m and 4x400m) — The UNI athlete from Coralville is a Drake Relays medalist and winner of the All-Iowa Courage Award. This will be her first Paralympics.
• Justin Phongsavanh (javelin) — An Ankeny native, Phonsavanh found his passion for javelin after a shooting in a McDonald's parking lot left him paralyzed below the waist. Within four years, he was competing in international events.
• Matt Stutzman (archery) — Coming from a family of hunters, Stutzman took up archery as a way to feed his family. The Iowan from Fairfield is competing in his third Paralympic Games.
• Josh Turek (wheelchair basketball) — Turek, of Council Bluffs, competed in his first Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 2004. He shoots basketball everyday for an hour and lifts four times a week.

How to watch: Select events will air during prime time on NBC (channel 13), with more coverage on NBCSN, NBCOlympics.com and the Peacock streaming service.

• More info, including a broadcast schedule, is available here.