Paris 2024: Ones to Watch in wheelchair rugby

The 10 names you should be looking out for when the Paris 2024 Paralympics open in France 19 Jul 2024

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place between 28 August and 8 September 2024.

By IPC

With the countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games well and truly in the final stages, our Sport Weeks provide you with the perfect guide to each of the competitions being contested in France.

To round off this week, here are the wheelchair rugby players to look out for when the Paralympics open on 28 August.

Kae Kurahashi (Japan)

A female wheelchair rugby player maneuvers her wheelchair during a match — @World Wheelchair Rugby

The only female player on the Japanese team that won bronze on home soil at Tokyo 2020 and followed that up with bronze at the 2022 Worlds.

Chuck Aoki (USA)

A male wheelchair rugby player carries the ball while crossing the try line — @Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

The veteran USA star and three-time Paralympic medallist heads to his fourth Games still in search of a first gold. The former world champion led his team to Worlds silver in 2022.

Ryley Batt (Australia)

A male wheelchair rugby player wearing a yellow jersey holds onto a ball, while another athlete wearing a blue jersey tries to grab it — @Lars Møller for Parasport Danmark

A wheelchair rugby icon, Batt is a five-time Paralympian and featured in the Netflix documentary “Rising Phoenix”. The reigning world champion will be aiming to reclaim the Paralympic title with Australia in Paris.

Josco Wilke (Germany)

A male wheelchair rugby athlete carries the ball — @World Wheelchair Rugby

One of the rising stars of the sport who made his Worlds debut in 2022. The German athlete is preparing to impress the crowd on his Paralympic debut in Paris.

Patrice Dagenais (Canada)

Four male wheelchair rugby players in action — Patrice Dagenais, right. @Buda Mendes/Getty Images

The Canadian co-captain most recently led the team to silver at the 2023 Parapan American Games after missing the podium at the 2022 Worlds. Paris 2024 will be the fourth Games for the Paralympic silver medallist.

Daisuke Ikezaki (Japan)

A male wheelchair rugby player carries the ball during competition — @Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Ikezaki is a trailblazer in wheelchair rugby, having made history with Japan in the sport. At Rio 2016 he led the team to their first-ever Paralympic medal with bronze and followed that up with a landmark world title In 2018.

Zak Madell (Canada)

A male wheelchair rugby player in action during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. — @Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

A focal point of Canada’s 2023 Parapan silver medal-winning attack, who was previously named MVP at the 2014 Worlds. The three-time Paralympian finished second in the top scorer rankings at Tokyo 2020.

Sarah Adam (USA)

A female wheelchair rugby athlete plays with male players. — @Lars Møller for Parasport Danmark

Adam will become the first woman in history to play Paralympic wheelchair rugby for the USA at Paris 2024, having helped the team to silver at the 2022 Worlds.

Jamie Stead (Great Britain)

Two male wheelchair rugby players in action — Jamie Stead, right @Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

The three-time European champion and two-time Paralympian is aiming to lead Great Britain to a successful Paralympic title defense at Paris 2024.

Sebastian Frederiksen (Denmark)

Two wheelchair rugby players play in a match — Sebastian Frederiksen, left. @Lars Møller for Parasport Danmark

The Dane followed up his Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020 by leading his team to an historic best-ever finish at a Worlds with fourth place on home soil in 2022.

Learn more about wheelchair rugby and 22 sports on the Paris 2024 Paralympic programme