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Arelle Middleton

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Arelle Middleton
Personal information
Born (2008-02-09) February 9, 2008 (age 16)[1]
Rancho Cucamonga, California, U.S.
Sport
SportPara-athletics
DisabilityCongenital Femoral Deficiency
Disability classF64
Eventshot put
Medal record
Women's para-athletics
Representing the  United States
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris Shot put F64
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Kobe Shot put F64

Arelle Middleton (born February 9, 2008) is an American para track and field athlete who competes in shot put and discus throw. She was a silver medalist in shot put at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, throwing a distance of 12.19 m (39 ft 11+3⁄4 in). She also plays wheelchair basketball.

Early life and education

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Middleton is from Rancho Cucamonga, California. Her mother, Sandra Van Embricqs, was born in Suriname and is a former professional basketball player who now coaches girls basketball at Chino High School.[2][3]

Middleton was born with Congenital Femoral Deficiency, resulting in her left leg being six inches shorter than her right leg, and her left hip being underdeveloped. The difference has varied as she has grown and had several surgeries to incrementally lengthen her leg.[4]

Middleton has been involved in sports since she was 5 years old, playing water polo, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, and throwing shot put and discus.[3]

She attends Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where she competes in track and field.

Career

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Shot put and discus

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During her freshman year at Los Osos High School in 2023, Middleton competed in the para division at the CIF State Track & Field Championships and won the ambulatory shot put title with a state record–breaking throw of 12.02 m (39 ft 5 in).[5][4][6] She was subsequently named a 2023 U.S. Paralympics Track and Field High School All-American.[7]

In 2024, Middleton missed the state championships, instead making her international debut for the United States at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships, where she was the youngest member of the team at age 16.[8] She won a silver medal in shot put F64 with a throw of 11.84 m (38 ft 10 in) and placed 6th in discus F64 with a throw of 28.98 m (95 ft 3⁄4 in).[9] At the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Trials, she threw 11.79 m (38 ft 8 in) in shot put F64 and qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[10][11]

Middleton won a silver medal in shot put F64 at the 2024 Paralympics with a throw of 12.19 m (39 ft 11+3⁄4 in) and placed 10th in discus F64 with a throw of 30.38 m (99 ft 8 in). She was not only the youngest on the U.S. team, but also the youngest U.S. medalist.[12][13][14]

Wheelchair basketball

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Middleton plays wheelchair basketball for the Rancho Halos in the junior division of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. During the 2023–24 season she was named to the second team all-tournament and the female all-tournament teams.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ "Arelle Middleton". olympics.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Scurlock, Amanda (July 4, 2019). "The Angel City Games Presented by the Hartford Reaches its Fifth Year". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Marhsall, Pete (April 22, 2023). "Los Osos track and field thrower Arelle Middleton hitting the mark despite physical disability". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Moore, Lela (January 29, 2024). "Already A State Champion, Arelle Middleton Has Her Sights Set On Paralympic Glory". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Johnson, Eric-Paul (May 26, 2023). "Top Inland storylines for the CIF State track and field championships". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  6. ^ Scurlock, Amanda (August 21, 2024). "Paralympian Arelle Middleton Competes in Shot Put, Discus Throw". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  7. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (December 13, 2023). "Carey, Frech, Middleton Earn Top Honors as 2023 High School All-Americans Named". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (May 23, 2024). "Blair, Middleton Bring Home Medals for Team USA on Day Seven in Kobe". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Moore, Lela (July 11, 2024). "Arelle Middleton Skipped Her High School State Meet To Grab A Worlds Medal In Kobe". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (July 20, 2024). "Blackwell, Frech and Malkamaki Conclude Para Trials in World Record Fashion". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (July 21, 2024). "Fifty-four Athletes Nominated to U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team". usparatf.org. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Arelle Middleton". teamusa.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  13. ^ @TeamUSA (September 5, 2024). "Teen Queen 👑". X. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  14. ^ 16 year old becomes Team USA's youngest medalist in Paris with shot put silver | NBC Sports. September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Arelle Middleton". challengedathletes.org. March 8, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "Complete Recap of the 2024 NWBA Junior Division Wheelchair Basketball National Championships". NWBA.org. April 7, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
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