PHOENIX — With the 2024 Paris Olympics officially in the books, it's now time to turn our sights to the 2024 Paralympics.
Thousands of Paralympic athletes from around the world will descend on the City of Light for a shot at glory on the global stage. The games begin on Aug. 28 and will last until Sept. 8.
For those in Arizona, there are a few athletes with ties to the Grand Canyon State that you can cheer on during the games. Here's a list of the Arizona athletes competing:
Allysa Seely
Bio: Seely is a para triathlete from Glendale, Arizona and became involved in triathlon as a New Year’s tradition to try something she had never done before. Before her diagnosis, Seely was part of the Arizona State University club triathlon team and a nationally-ranked triathlete.
Event: Para Triathlon, Aug. 31 - Sept. 2
Medals: 2 golds
Eric Bennett
Bio: The 50-year-old archer from Surprise, Arizona began his love of archery at just 7 years old. According to the Team USA website, Bennett was in a car crash at 15 years old and lost his right arm.
When he is not shooting arrows, he is a high school physics and engineering teacher. He even taught Olympic archer Brady Ellison, from Globe, Arizona.
Event: Para archery, Aug. 30 - Sept. 5
Whitney Dosty
Bio: Born in Tucson, Arizona, Dosty is a member of the sitting volleyball team for Team USA. Her father, Robbie, played basketball for Arizona and she has a sister named Sybil who played basketball at Arizona State University.
Dosty became a para-athlete after an ankle injury ended her standing career. When she is not on the court, she enjoys spending her time as a fashion blogger.
Event: Sitting Volleyball, Sept. 1 - Sept. 7
Medals: 1 gold
Josh Wheeler
Bio: Wheeler, 44, is from Tucson and is currently on the wheelchair rugby team for Team USA. In 2006, he became a wheelchair user after he was struck by a car while on his motorcycle and broke his neck.
Wheeler is married to his wife, Stephanie, and is also fluent in Spanish.
Event: Wheelchair rugby, Aug. 29 - Sept. 2
Medals: 2 silver
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
12News on YouTube
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.