Marquette wheelchair athlete Gianni Quintero to compete in international games in Thailand

Marquette University High School sophomore wheelchair track athlete Gianni Quintero has been selected to compete in the World Abilitysport games in Thailand on Dec. 1-9.

After winning two WIAA gold medals at the 2023 state track and field meet in La Crosse in June, Quintero has continued to grow his reputation nationally. He competed in the 2023 Move United Hartford Nationals in July, earning top-three finishes in the U17 division in the 100-meters, 200, 400, 1,500, javelin, shot put and discus events. Quintero did so while competing with the Great Lakes Adaptive Sport Association. The performances drew the attention of Move United's World Abilitysport delegation, which initially waitlisted Quintero for its U20 team. Even when it was far from a formality, Quintero said he could not help but dream of the possibilities.

"When I saw the initial email about it, the first thought that went through my mind was, ‘I could possibly go to Thailand.’ I didn’t fully know if I was going to get accepted or not," Quintero said.

Then in mid-August, the email came to let Quintero know a spot had opened up. When Move United named the 22 athletes representing the United States in Thailand on Aug. 22, Quintero and fellow Wisconsinites Lucas Jundt (Kenosha) and Lily Rosenthal (Sun Prairie) were among them. The full list includes athletes competing in divisions in the age range of 15 to 31, with Quintero (15) on the younger end of the spectrum.

"It’s cool to think about, it’s just a really good feeling. I’m not quite sure how to feel yet, I know it’s going to feel different when I’m there than how I do now," Quintero said.

Gianni's mother, Tiela Quintero, said that while the opportunity has exceeded her wildest expectations, it comes as little surprise given the work she has seen him put in.

"It’s been amazing, we like watching his motivation and dedication to training, whether it’s basketball or track," Tiela said. "He’s just shown us so much growth over the past year that we didn’t think was possible."

As Gianni prepares for his to-be-determined slate of events, he hopes the experience in Thailand helps him continue to improve as an athlete.

"Racing against these other people and seeing how they do it and watching the older people race, I want to take away their techniques and see how they do it," Gianni said. "I want to get my technique of pushing and pacing myself down better."

While Gianni looks to draw inspiration from his fellow competitors, Tiela is also grateful for how his story gaining attention has inspired other athletes of all abilities.

"It’s also opened my eyes to a lot of people around us," Tiela said. "He’s gained more people that follow him, and are motivated by his struggles and what he went through when he was younger."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette wheelchair athlete Gianni Quintero to compete in Thailand