The U.S. Paralympic track and field program will become part of USA Track and Field on January 1, in a major initiative to unite the athletes in both organizations.
The move, announced on Wednesday, will mean that USATF is now the 17th governing body in the United States to take on the integration of its Paralympic colleagues.
“With the USOPC and USATF joining forces for our Paralympics Track & Field National Team and development programs, we are setting the stage for unprecedented opportunity and development,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement. “We’ve committed to working toward this model of integration, because we know it will allow Para athletes to fully access a powerhouse of resources, support and training as they pursue excellence and represent Team USA.”
Both governing bodies had major success last summer at the Paris Olympics with American track and field taking home medals. Their Paralympic counterparts won 38 medals.
“This is an incredible moment for our sport,” Max Siegel, CEO of USATF said in a statement. “USATF has a strong commitment to providing inclusive and comprehensive support, and by uniting our Olympic and Paralympic programs, we are setting the standard for what an integrated sports program can achieve. We believe the benefits of being one team will drive success on and off the field of play.”
Wednesday’s announcement further unifies the Olympic and Paralympic efforts to ensure that athletes under both federations have access to equal resources and prize money at the highest levels of competition.
Since the Tokyo Games in 2021, both Olympians and Paralympians got the same payouts for their podium finishes. Gold is worth $37,500, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze — a significant boost for Paralympians.
Americans Paralympians fared well at the Paris Games with 105 medals overall, behind Great Britain’s 124 and China’s 220. But track and field Paralympians won 38 of those medals, including 10 gold.
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