U.S. Paralympic Swimming Names Four Athletes as Captains for Paralympic Games Paris 2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – U.S. Paralympic Swimming today announced the four veteran athletes voted as captains by their teammates at the team’s domestic training camp at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs ahead of departing for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 later in August.

The captains elected by their peers have a wealth of Games experience to offer their support, guidance, and be a voice for their fellow athletes. The athletes selected as captains for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are below, in alphabetical order by last name:

David Abrahams (Havertown, Pennsylvania) – A Tokyo Paralympic Silver medalist and 2023 world championships bronze medalist making his second Paralympic Team, Abrahams previously served as captain at the World Championships in 2023.

“It is a massive honor,” he said. “Honestly, I remember looking up to the guys that were captains at Tokyo 2020, and it is just one of the most humbling experiences to know my teammates look at me that way. I am so excited to see what everyone does this Paralympic Games.”

Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, North Carolina) – A three-time Paralympic Games qualifier, four-time Paralympic medalist, and previously elected captain at the 2023 World Championships, Aspden said she is excited and honored to once again be elected captain by her teammates.

“It means a lot and is a huge honor to be selected to this role by my peers that I highly respect,” she said. “Everyone is a leader in their own way and brings a lot to the table. This team is a very cohesive team that I have a lot of love and respect for, and I think everyone is going to step up and support their teammates in their own way throughout the Games.”

Evan Austin (Terre Haute, Indiana) – A four-time Paralympic Games qualifier and two-time medalist, Austin was elected to serve as captain at a Paralympic Games for the second time. Austin was one of the team captains at his third Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and said he is greatly looking forward to his second time serving his Team USA teammates.

“I am very excited and grateful that my team has decided to make me captain,” Austin said. “I am looking forward to this group coming together at camp both domestically and internationally in Germany. I am ready to do my part in leading the charge for Team USA to make this the best Paralympic Games that U.S. Paralympic Swimming has ever had.”

Lizzi Smith (Muncie, Indiana) – Smith is headed to the Paralympic stage for the third time, where she has earned three career medals. She has also amassed seven world championships medals in her career.

“I am extremely honored,” she said. “To have your teammates choose you to help lead them at the biggest competition of their life is huge, and I don’t take that lightly. It is a lot of responsibility that I am very excited that I get to take on.”