Meet our Hoosier Paralympians
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Noah Malone is ready to win gold in Paris. Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
After making an impact during the 2024 Olympics, another crew of world-class Hoosier athletes is preparing to go for gold in Paris.
Why it matters: The U.S. Paralympic Team was announced Monday and includes six Indiana representatives who have already won a combined 12 medals in their Paralympic careers.
The intrigue: When the Olympics ended on Aug. 11, Indiana stood out as one of the winningest states in the U.S. with a total of 28 medals with Indiana ties.
- With a collection of experienced medal winners and a record-setting first-timer among our Paralympic competitors, another Indiana gold rush could be in our future.
Fun fact: 2024 is the first time the Paralympic Games will offer live coverage of all 22 sports.
Meet our Indiana Paralympians:
🏃 Noah Malone, 22, of Fishers, track and field.
- Two-time Paralympian who has won one gold medal and two silver medals.
- A high school state champ who has been a keynote speaker at TEDx Indianapolis.
- Enjoys running, painting and taking pictures.
🏊 Grace Nuhfer, 21, of Greenwood, swimming.
- First-time Paralympian.
- Set a Parapan American Games record when she won a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
- Swims at the University of Akron.
🏃 Sam Grewe, 26, of Middlebury, track and field
- A three-time Paralympian who has won one gold medal and one silver medal.
- Played lacrosse, basketball and football while growing up in Elkhart County.
- Aspires to go into biomedical engineering with hopes of working to develop prosthetics.
🏊 Lizzi Smith, 28, of Muncie, swimming.
- A three-time Paralympian who has won two silver medals and one bronze medal.
- Started swimming at age 7.
- Enjoys rock climbing, adaptive CrossFit, graphic design, traveling and exploring new coffee shops.
🏉 Jeff Butler, 34, of Fort Wayne, wheelchair rugby.
- A three-time Paralympian who has won two silver medals.
- Founded his own software company at 26 and worked as part of the development team.
- Started a YouTube channel where he reviewed the latest in disability technology.
🏊 Evan Austin, 31, of Terre Haute, swimming.
- A four-time Paralympian who has won one gold medal and one bronze medal.
- Made his international debut at the 2012 London Games after graduating from Indiana State.
- Member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
What's next: The Paralympics start Aug. 28 in Paris.