“It is a huge honor to be recognized as a recipient of the Athletes in Excellence Award with so many other incredible athletes and role models. Discovering sports as a child helped me grow my confidence and independence and set me on the path for success. This award will help me continue to share my story and create opportunities for more kids with disabilities to get involved in adaptive athletics.” – Amanda McGrory
Meet Amanda McGrory, recipient of our Athletes in Excellence Award!
Amanda McGrory is a Track & Field athlete and four-time Paralympian who has won seven Paralympic medals. Also an accomplished marathoner, Amanda has competed in over 100 marathons, breaking the New York City’s Marathon record in 2011.
When she was 11 years old, Amanda first encountered adaptive sport through the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department’s newly launched wheelchair basketball and wheelchair racing program for youth with disabilities. From there she flourished as an athlete and has become a committed member of the Paralympic Movement.
She now serves as the Archivist and Collections Curator for the Crawford Family U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Archives at the USOPC headquarters. Amanda is eager to grow the Paralympic catalog to match that of the extensive and impressive Olympic catalog of collections.
Amanda is quickly rising as a leader in the Paralympic Movement, with a substantial history of advocacy and activism.
- Representative on Team USA’s Racial and Social Justice Council, formed in 2020
- Created a community resource group for disabled employees and their allies.
- Served as a consultant on the first Paralympic Awareness Working Group.
- Has volunteered as a coach for the University of Illinois’ wheelchair basketball and wheelchair racing camps.
- Has served as an athlete representative and secretary on the board of directors for Adaptive Sports USA
- Collaborated with the Chicago Marathon to establish a mentoring program that pairs aspiring wheelchair racers from the Chicago area with athletes at the University of Illinois.
- Raises awareness about adaptive sports and disability through visits to K-12 school and college classes.
Follow Amanda: Instagram | @alittlechipped Twitter | @alittlechipped
Amanda was nominated for the Athletes in Excellence Award by Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt. Each recipient of the Athletes in Excellence Award receives an unrestricted gift of $10,000 to further their passion for sport and community service.
