# United States at the Paralympics

The United States of America (USA), represented by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, has participated in every Summer and Winter Paralympic Games and is currently first on the all-time medal table. The nation used to be a dominant Paralympic power in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, but has steadily declined since the 1990s to a point where it finished sixth in the 2012 Summer Paralympics medal count. The team then improved to a fourth-place finish in 2016, and third in 2020, and unexpectedly finished first at the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
The United States was the co-host of the 1984 Summer Paralympics in Stoke Mandeville and New York. It also hosted the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta and 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City.

## Medal tables

    Red border color indicates host nation status.
Best results in non-medalling sports:
Summer :
| Sport | Rank | Athlete | Event & Year |
| Football 5-a-side | Did not participate | Did not participate | Did not participate |
| Winter ||||
| Sport | Rank | Athlete | Event & Year |
| Wheelchair curling | 4th | Augusto Perez Patrick McDonald James Pierce Jacqui Kapinowski James Joseph Steve Brown | Mixed tournament in 2010 |

## Flagbearers

Summer Paralympics :
| Games | Athlete | Sport |
| 1960 Rome | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1964 Tokyo | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1968 Tel-Aviv | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1972 Heidelberg | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1976 Toronto | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1980 Arnhem | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1984 New York 1984 Stoke Mandeville | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1988 Seoul | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1992 Barcelona | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1996 Atlanta | Not documented | Not documented |
| 2000 Sydney | Mike Dempsey | Table tennis |
| 2004 Athens | Kevin Szott | Judo |
| 2008 Beijing | Jennifer Armbruster | Goalball |
| 2012 London | Scott Danberg | Athletics |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Allison Jones | Cycling |
| 2020 Tokyo | Chuck Aoki | Wheelchair rugby |
| 2020 Tokyo | Melissa Stockwell | Paratriathlon |
| 2024 Paris | Steve Serio | Wheelchair basketball |
| 2024 Paris | Nicky Nieves | Sitting volleyball |
Winter Paralympics :
| Games | Athlete | Sport |
| 1976 Örnsköldsvik | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1980 Geilo | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1984 Innsbruck | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1988 Innsbruck | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1992 Tignes-Albertville | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1994 Lillehammer | Not documented | Not documented |
| 1998 Nagano | Not documented | Not documented |
| 2002 Salt Lake City | Not documented | Not documented |
| 2006 Turin | Chris Devlin-Young | Alpine skiing |
| 2010 Vancouver | Heath Calhoun | Alpine skiing |
| 2014 Sochi | Jonathan Lujan | Alpine skiing |
| 2018 PyeongChang | Mike Schultz | Snowboarding |
| 2022 Beijing | Tyler Carter | Alpine skiing |
| 2022 Beijing | Danelle Umstead | Alpine skiing |

## Records
### Summer Paralympics
#### Multi-medalists

Athletes who have won at least three gold medals or five medals at the Summer Paralympics. Bold athletes are athletes who are still active.
| No. | Athlete | Sport | Years | Games | Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Trischa Zorn | Swimming | 1980–2004 | 7 | F | 41 | 9 | 5 | 55 |
| 2 | Jessica Long | Swimming | 2004–2020 | 5 | F | 16 | 8 | 5 | 29 |
| 3 | Erin Popovich | Swimming | 2000–2008 | 3 | F | 14 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 4 | Bart Dodson | Athletics | 1984–2000 | 5 | M | 13 | 3 | 4 | 20 |
| 5 | John Morgan | Swimming | 1984, 1992 | 2 | M | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 |
| 5 | Elizabeth Scott | Swimming | 1992–2000 | 3 | F | 10 | 2 | 5 | 17 |
| 6 | Edward Owen | Athletics Swimming | 1964–1988 | 7 | M | 9 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 7 | Tatyana McFadden | Athletics | 2004–2020 | 5 | F | 8 | 7 | 4 | 19 |
| 8 | Brad Snyder | Swimming | 2012–2020 | 3 | M | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 9 | Jean Driscoll | Athletics | 1988–2000 | 4 | F | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 10 | Marla Runyan | Athletics | 1992–1996 | 2 | F | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 11 | David Larson | Athletics | 1988–2000 | 4 | M | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 12 | Dennis Oehler | Athletics | 1988–1996 | 3 | M | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 13 | Brian Frasure | Athletics | 2000–2008 | 3 | M | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| 14 | Tony Volpentest | Athletics | 1992–2000 | 3 | M | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 15 | Paul Nitz | Athletics | 1992–2012 | 6 | M | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 16 | Danny Andrews | Athletics | 2000–2008 | 3 | M | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 16 | Raymond Martin | Athletics | 2012 | 1 | M | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 18 | David Wagner | Wheelchair tennis | 2004–2016 | 4 | M | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 19 | Freeman Register | Athletics | 1992–2000 | 3 | M | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 20 | Mallory Weggemann | Swimming | 2012–2020 | 3 | F | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 21 | Nick Mayhugh | Athletics | 2020 | 1 | M | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 22 | Kelley Becherer | Swimming | 2008–2012 | 2 | F | 3 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 23 | Justin Zook | Swimming | 2004–2012 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 24 | Royal Mitchell | Athletics | 2000–2008 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 25 | Jeremy Campbell | Athletics | 2008–2012 | 2 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 26 | Ross Davis | Athletics | 1992–2000 | 3 | M | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| 27 | Cheri Madsen | Athletics | 1996–2016 | 6 | F | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 28 | Roy Perkins | Swimming | 2008–2016 | 3 | M | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 29 | Scot Hollonbeck | Athletics | 1992–2004 | 4 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 30 | Gregory Burns | Swimming | 1996–2000 | 3 | M | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 31 | Marlon Shirley | Athletics | 2000–2008 | 3 | M | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 32 | Karissa Whitsell | Cycling | 2004–2008 | 2 | F | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 33 | Cortney Jordan | Swimming | 2008–2016 | 3 | F | 1 | 8 | 3 | 12 |
| 34 | Amanda McGrory | Athletics | 2008–2016 | 3 | F | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 35 | Cheri Blauwet | Athletics | 2000–2008 | 3 | F | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 36 | Aimee Bruder | Swimming | 1996–2008 | 4 | F | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |

#### Multi-gold medalists at single Games

This is a list of athletes who have won at least two gold medals in a single Games. Ordered categorically by gold medals earned, sports, then year.
| No. | Athlete | Sport | Year | Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Athletics |||||||||
| 1 | David Larson | Athletics | 1992 | M | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1 | Marla Runyan | Athletics | 1992 | F | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Danny Andrews | Athletics | 2004 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Dennis Oehler | Athletics | 1988 | M | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Jean Driscoll | Athletics | 1996 | F | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | Curt Brinkman | Athletics | 1980 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Joe Gaetani | Athletics | 1992 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | Maureen Gaynor | Athletics | 1988 | F | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Cycling |||||||||
| 1 | Karissa Whitsell Guide: Katie Compton | Cycling | 2004 | F | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Barbara Buchan | Cycling | 2008 | F | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Swimming |||||||||
| 1 | Trischa Zorn | Swimming | 1988 | F | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | John Morgan | Swimming | 1992 | M | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | Erin Popovich | Swimming | 2004 | F | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Elizabeth Scott | Swimming | 1992 | F | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 5 | Jessica Long | Swimming | 2012 | F | 5 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | McKenzie Coan | Swimming | 2016 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Rebecca Meyers | Swimming | 2016 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Brad Snyder | Swimming | 2016 | M | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Gregory Burns | Swimming | 1996 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | Kelley Becherer | Swimming | 2012 | F | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Wheelchair tennis |||||||||
| 1 | Randy Snow | Wheelchair tennis | 1992 | M | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Multiple sports |||||||||
| 1 | Ed Owen | Athletics | 1968 | M | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1 | Ed Owen | Swimming | 1968 | M | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | Sharon Hedrick | Athletics | 1980 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | Sharon Hedrick | Wheelchair basketball | 1980 | F | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |

#### Multi-medalists at single event

This is a list of athletes who have won at least three medals in a single event at the Summer Paralympics. Ordered categorically by medals earned, sports, then gold medals earned.
| No. | Athlete | Sport | Event | Years | Games | Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Trischa Zorn | Swimming | 100m backstroke | 1980–2004 | 7 | F | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | Jessica Long | Swimming | 400m freestyle | 2004–2016 | 4 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Ross Davis | Athletics | 100 metres | 1992–2000 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Bart Dodson | Athletics | 200 metres | 1992–2000 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Rudy Garcia-Tolson | Swimming | 200m individual medley | 2004–2012 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Roy Perkins | Swimming | 50m butterfly | 2008–2016 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | David Larson | Athletics | 400 metres | 1988–1996 | 3 | M | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |

#### Athletes with most appearances
##### Summer Paralympics

This is a list of athletes who have competed in four or more Summer Paralympics. Active athletes are in bold. Athletes under 15 years of age and over 40 years of age are in bold.
| No. | Athlete | Sport | Birth Year | Games Years | First/Last Age | Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Pamela Fontaine | Table tennis Wheelchair basketball | 1964 | 1984–2016 | 20 - 52 | F | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Trischa Zorn | Swimming | 1964 | 1980–2004 | 16 - 40 | F | 44 | 9 | 5 | 55 |
| 3 | Lex Gillette | Athletics | 1984 | 2004–2016 | 20 - 32 | M | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |

##### Winter Paralympics
## Prize money

When a US athlete wins an Olympic medal, as of 2016, the USOPC paid the winner $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze. The USOPC increased the payouts by 25% to $37,000 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze beginning in 2017. These numbers are significantly lower than in other countries, where Olympic gold medalists receive up to $1 million from their governments for a gold medal. Since 2018, payouts to Paralympic athletes have been the same as to the Olympians. The International Paralympic Committee noted that "'Operation Gold Awards' for [American] Paralympic athletes [would] be increased by as much as 400 percent."