:quality(85):upscale()/2025/02/18/886/n/1922729/e95b105467b4ea9413aed9.73695680_.jpg)
2024 was the year of Para sports: The 2024 Paris Paralympic games had record-breaking media coverage and viewership, Para athletes finally earned the same pay for medals as their Olympian counterparts, and so many incredible Paralympians made their debut in the mainstream spotlight. It finally seemed like the world was ready to give these athletes their flowers — not because they are “defying the odds” or succeeding “despite” their disabilities, but because they are incredible athletes. Period.
This year, it appears that we’re keeping that same energy.
In a heartfelt video posted to the NBC Olympics & Paralympics Instagram account, Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall jumps up and down excitedly, announcing that the US track and Para trials will be combined for one big meet. “That’s the coolest thing!” she shouts into her phone, while her husband — Paralympian Hunter Woodhall — smiles through watery eyes.
“Yeah, I’m pretty happy,” he chokes out. (Okay, I’m officially sobbing now.)
Why is this a big deal? Beyond getting to see our favorite “it couple” of the 2024 Paralympics and Olympics compete at the same national championship, it’s the first time ever in US track and field history that the Para National Championships will be held concurrently with the USATF Outdoor Championships. The meet will take place at the iconic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from July 31 to August 2, 2025.
“This meet will be momentous for the sport because we don’t often get the opportunity to showcase able-bodied and Para sport side by side,” Sherrice Fox, director, Paralympics Track & Field, shared in the USATF announcement. “It will not only determine which of our athletes we take with us to worlds, but also will be the first time that fans will get to see Para sport contested at USATF Outdoor Championships.” By sharing the stage at this event, it means more media and track fans — who may not have otherwise covered or tuned in to Para sports — will get to see these incredible athletes in their element. As such, they may garner a greater, lasting fandom.
And this kind of awareness has implications beyond athletics. “At the end of the day, every view, every follower, every person that watches the Paralympic Games, every person that reads an article (on Paralympians) is a step toward where disability is slightly more normalized in their eyes. And that’s unbelievably important,” Paralympic track athlete and 2024 gold medalist Ezra Frech told the LA Times. “I believe through the promotion of the Paralympic Games, through proper representation of our community in the mainstream media, we can change that. We can normalize disability globally.”
Does this mean we might expect to see the Paralympics and Olympics take place in tandem in the near future? While hosting events concurrently may be effective on a smaller scale (like the USATF Championships), Para athletes and advocates alike are skeptical of fully enmeshing the global games.
Perhaps the future is not merging in the name of equality, but rather continuing to offer parallel opportunities and attention to athletes (and people, for that matter) of all abilities.
With media attention already skewed towards high-profile Olympic athletes, Para sports could completely get lost in the shuffle if they were to merge, “as sponsors and media attention may prioritize the larger, more established Olympic sports,” writes Jessica Smith, a Paralympian and disability accessibility consultant in an essay for TIME. “In my opinion, this would hinder the growth and development of Paralympic sports and athletes who deserve their own spotlight. It would further dilute the focused attention and specialized support that athletes with disabilities require, reducing their platform to showcase their unique talents and experiences.” So, in a way, fully combining the two could actually diminish the progress we’ve made so far. (Not to mention issues of infrastructure and logistics in hosting so many athletes and events at the same time.)
As with most things in life, the road to progress is paved with nuance: The USATF’s choice to combine meets can be an exciting, groundbreaking choice — yet hosting the Para and Olympic games may not achieve the kind of equity we’re after. Rather than make blanket choices about what’s best for the future of sport, it’s crucial to forge forward with intention. As Smith writes: “Inclusion doesn’t always equal equality, as it often involves recognizing and celebrating differences rather than trying to make everyone ‘the same.'” Perhaps the future is not merging in the name of equality, but rather continuing to offer parallel opportunities and attention to athletes (and people, for that matter) of all abilities. That means elevating the voices and talents of disabled athletes and spotlighting their incredible capabilities.
So whether or not disabled and able-bodied athletes are sharing a stage, I hope that we as spectators will tune in, support, and offer Para sports the same respect and admiration that is both well-deserved and long overdue.
Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine’s work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men’s Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.