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.
Medals by Summer Games
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Medals by Winter Games
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Medals by summer sport Leading in that sport
The United States has never won a Paralympic medal in the following current summer sports or disciplines: badminton and football 5-a-side. |
Medals by winter sport Leading in that sport
The United States has never won a Paralympic medal in the following current winter sport: wheelchair curling. |
Best results in non-medalling sports:
| Summer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Rank | Athlete | Event & Year |
 Badminton |
Did not participate | ||
 Football 5-a-side |
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
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Rebecca Meyers | Swimming |
2016 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 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 |
| Swimming |
2 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2 | Sharon Hedrick | Athletics |
1980 | F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
 Wheelchair basketball |
0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
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 |
| Bart Dodson | Athletics |
200 metres | 1992-2000 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| Rudy Garcia-Tolson | Swimming |
200m individual medley | 2004-2012 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 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.[1] The USOPC increased the payouts by 25% to $37,000 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze beginning in 2017.[2] 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.[3][4] 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."[5]
See also
References
- ^ Cao, Athena Cao (15 August 2016) Uncle Sam goes for gold, too: Up to $9,900 per Olympic gold medal First Coast News via USA Today
- ^ "USOC Increases 'Operation Gold' Payouts By 25% Beginning in 2017". Swimswam.com. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ Many Countries Pay Big Bonuses For Olympic Medals. This One Is Shelling Out $2.7 Million.
- ^ Some countries pay more than six figures to athletes who bring home a medal -- but not the U.S.
- ^ Paralympians to earn equal payouts as Olympians in the USA
 National sports teams of the United States | |
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