The Summer Paralympics are set to kick off in Paris on Wednesday with the opening ceremony. Among the 549 medal events and 22 sports, one to watch is wheelchair basketball, where the University of Alabama Adapted Athletics program is heavily represented on the United States teams.
The program has four current players and one alumna on the women’s team, as well as players on other national squads. Alabama’s women’s wheelchair basketball coach, Ryan Hynes, is also serving as an assistant coach for the United States team.
The U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team, led by Auburn’s wheelchair basketball coach Robb Taylor, features Birmingham native Brian Bell, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist.
The women’s team will open against Germany on Friday, while the men will face Spain on Thursday in the preliminary rounds. The opening ceremony will be broadcast on the USA Network.
Athletes with Alabama connections competing in the games include wheelchair basketball players for Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, and the United States, as well as wheelchair tennis and handbike competitors.
Fans can follow coverage of the games and athletes with Alabama ties through sports reporter Mark Inabinett on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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