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SLU's Sarah Adam Becomes First Woman Named to US Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby Team

by Bridjes O'Neil
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Bridjes O'Neil
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ST. LOUIS 鈥� Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy at Saint Louis University, makes history as the first woman named to the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby Team. 

USA Wheelchair Rugby (USAWR) Tuesday that Adam is one of 12 athletes who will represent the U.S. at the 2024 Paralympic Games in鈥疨aris from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. She was from an elite 16-person national training squad competing to earn a spot on the roster.

A group of people celebrate Sarah Adam.

SLU OT faculty and students, along with President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., surprise Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy, and first female U.S. wheelchair rugby Paralympian, front, with a celebration in her honor during DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Day on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy.

鈥淲e are incredibly excited about our Paris 2024 Paralympic Roster,鈥� said Head Coach Joe Delagrave, a two-time Paralympian and three-time world medalist, in a press release. 鈥淲e look forward to the final months of physical and mental preparation, coming together as a team, and being ready for the most intense Paralympic competition to date.鈥�

Since it debuted at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, only five women have competed in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics. 

Bernard Rousseau, Ph.D., professor and dean of the Doisy College of Health Sciences at SLU, extended his congratulations on behalf of faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

"The Doisy College of Health Sciences is extremely proud and excited to watch Dr. Adam make history as the first woman to compete as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby team," Rousseau said. "Our faculty, staff, students and alumni wish her and the team much success as they compete on the world stage for the gold."

A group of people at a celebration.

Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy, and first female U.S. wheelchair rugby Parlaympian, center, reacts to a surprise celebration in her honor during DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Day on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy.

Adam began playing wheelchair rugby in 2019. She made her international debut at the Americas Championship in 2022, where the team won gold, and later that year won a silver medal at the world championships. In 2023, she was part of the gold medal-winning Parapan American Games team that secured USA Wheelchair Rugby a spot for Paris 2024. She also became the first American woman to win Parapan American Games gold in wheelchair rugby.

Adam describes her style of play as 鈥渃erebral,鈥� viewing wheelchair rugby as a large chess match, aiming to be always three moves ahead of her opponents. She hopes a documentary about her team鈥檚 journey to Paris in 2024 will inspire others and shed light on the adaptive sports movement. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 really neat to break down barriers,鈥� said Adam in a Team USA interview. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a sport you love to play, no matter how physical or male-dominated, there鈥檚 a way and a place for you, and women are showing that鈥檚 the case in many different sports.鈥�

USAWR is the most decorated Paralympic wheelchair rugby program in history and the only wheelchair rugby program to be awarded at all Paralympic Games since the sport was added to the event roster in Sydney. After winning silver medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the U.S. aims to reach the top of the podium for the first time since Beijing 2008.