Athletes Who have Competed Both in Paralympics and Olympics

Disabled athletes like George Eyser and Oliver Halassy participated alongside the able-bodied athletes in the Olympics before the advent of the Paralympics. Later, the concept of Paralympics was developed as a parallel sporting event to the Olympics for giving a fair chance to the disabled athletes. But, there has never been water-tight compartmentalization between the athletes of the Olympics and Paralympics. Some Olympians got disabled due to some accident later in their life and had to participate in the Paralympics. Similarly several disabled athletes have participated both in the Olympics and Paralympics.

Here is the list of athletes who have competed both in the Paralympics and Olympics:

1. Neroli Fairhall

Neroli Fairhall is an archer from New Zealand who became the first paraplegic competitor in the Olympics. She was an athlete who got paralyzed waist down in a motorbike accident and subsequently took up archery. Neroli participated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and became the first paraplegic person to do so. She competed in four Paralympic games in 1972, 1980, 1988 and 2000. In the 1972 Paralympic Games, she competed in track and field athletics. In 1980, she participated in both athletics and archery and won a gold medal in archery. Then in 1988 and 2000 games she took part in archery only.

2. Pal Szekeres

Pal Szekeres, a Hungarian fencer, became the first person to have won a medal in Olympics as well as Paralympics. He represented his country in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and won a bronze medal in the team foil event. In 1991 he got injured and disabled in a bus accident. Pal took wheelchair fencing and won a gold medal in wheelchair fencing at the 1992 Paralympics. He further won two gold medals at 1996 Paralympics, and a bronze medal each at 2000, 2004 and 2008 Paralympic games.

3. Sonia Vettenburg

Sonia Vettenburg is a sports shooter from Belgium who uses a wheelchair. She participated in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event at the 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona, Spain. She also competed at the Paralympic shooting events of 1984 and 1988.

4. Paola Fantato

Paola Fantato is a Polio survivor who was paralyzed at the age of 8 and uses a wheelchair ever since. She was an archer. She participated in the 1996 summer Olympics as well as the Paralympics. Paola has won a total of 8 medals (including 5 gold) in the Paralympic Archery. From 1988 to 2004 she has competed in five consecutive Paralympic games winning five gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals.

5. Marla Runyan

Runyan is an American Athlete who is legally blind. She won four gold medals at the 1992 summer Paralympics in the long jump, 100, 200 and 400-meter races. Marla also participated in cycling. She competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and became the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics. She again took part in the 2004 Olympic Games.

6. Orazio Fagone

Orazio Fagone was an Italian short track speed skater who competed in the 1988, 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. He met an accident in 1997 after which his right leg was amputated. Orazio then started playing sledge hockey and participated in the 2006 and 2010 winter Paralympics. He has also participated in wheelchair curling events.

7. Natalia Partyka

Natalia, counted among the best paraolympians, is a Polish Table Tennis Player who was born without her right hand. She participated in the 2000 summer Paralympics at the age of 11 and set a record of being the youngest Paralympian ever. Since then she has participated in every Paralympic event held to date. She has also competed alongside able-bodied players in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Natalia participates in the competition for able-bodied as well as disabled athletes.

8. Natalie du Toit

Natalie du Toit is a South African swimmer who has participated in the Olympics despite being an amputee. Her left leg was amputated at the knee after an accident. She has participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in addition to the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Paralympics. In the year 2008, Natalie became the first athlete to carry the flag in the Olympics and Paralympics in a single year.

9. Oscar Pistorious

Oscar Pistorious is a former sprinter from South Africa. Both of his legs were amputated at the age of 11 months due to a congenital defect. He was the tenth athlete to participate both in the Olympics and Paralympics. He participated in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Paralympics and also at the 2012 Olympics held in London.

10. Assunta Legnate

Assunta Legnate is an Italian visually impaired shot putter who has competed both in the Olympics and Paralympics. She was born with congenital glaucoma in both eyes. Assunta competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics and then at 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics. She won a gold medal at both the Paralympic events.

11. Pepo Puch

Pepo Puch is an Austrian Equestrian. He participated in the 2004 Olympics. He met an accident in 2008 which made him a paraplegic. So, he started competing in the Paralympics. Pepo has participated in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics.

12. Ilke Wyludda

Ilke is a discus thrower from Germany. Her right leg had to be amputated due to sepsis in 2011. So after being an Olympian in 1992, 1996 and 2000, Wyludda went on to participate in the 2012 Paralympics due to her amputation.

13. Zahra Nemati

Zahra Nemati is an Iranian archer who participates in Olympics as well as Paralympics. She was a taekwondo player before being paralyzed due to a car accident. Zahra qualified as an archer in the 2016 Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics. She has won four medals at the Paralympics including two gold medals.

14. Melissa Tapper

Melissa Tapper is an Australian Table Tennis Player who represents her country in both the Olympics and Paralympics. She first participated in the 2012 London Paralympics. In 2016, she became the first athlete from her country to qualify for Olympics as well as Paralympics. Melissa suffers from nerve damage in her right hand.

15. Sandra Pavoic

Sandra Pavoic is a former table-tennis player from Croatia. She represented her country in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Then she met an accident in 2009 that disabled her. Sandra then qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics.