MUHS wheelchair athlete Gianni Quintero reflects on World Abilitysport Games bronze medal
When Marquette University High School sophomore wheelchair athlete Gianni Quintero reflected on his experience competing at the World Abilitysport Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, in December, the bright lights of the world stage stood out.
"Kind of like football players when they play under the lights at night, I got to race under the lights out there, and it was really, really fun," Quintero said.
Quintero was invited to represent Team USA in the international competition, which took place from Dec. 1-9, that draws athletes with physical impairments from all over the world. He was one of 22 athletes from across the U.S. chosen to compete, and at 15, was on the younger end of a select group that ranged from 15-31 in age. In his international debut, Quintero earned a bronze medal in the 1,500-meter in the U20 division. He also competed in four other events, the 100, 200, 400 and 800. His times in all five events were personal bests.
"I’m just really happy that I got to PR and race in Worlds," Quintero said. "Competing against all these other athletes, it’s really cool. You not only race against new people and figure out what they do to make them fast, but you also make new friends from these other countries, which is really cool."
Potentially picking up new techniques was something Quintero had pinpointed as a goal of being around other world class wheelchair athletes at the Abilitysport Games. One thing his parents had helped him identify was a starting technique other athletes were employing.
"A bunch of people before the gun goes off to start, they sit up and then go down with their push," Quintero said. "I normally just sat down and didn’t realize what everybody else was doing, so they get a bigger starting push."
While he did not want to start tweaking his form in the midst of competitions, it was a mental note Quintero hopes to bring into the upcoming spring high school season. As one of the less seasoned competitors in the field, soaking up insights from other athletes was another highlight of the experience for him.
"I got to see a bunch of other people participate in their own events from different countries, and seeing the older people race before my race was really awesome, because I could see what they do compared to what I do," Quintero said.
Quintero hopes this is only the beginning of his opportunities to compete internationally, as other events like the Parapan American Games and Paralympics remain long-term goals for him. A sign that he is on the radar of the powers that be to get those opportunities came shortly after his return home from Thailand. Quintero was named as one of 44 athletes from across the country to the 2023 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School All-American list.
On his current trajectory, more chances to compete under the bright lights of international games seem like only a matter of time for Quintero.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: MUHS wheelchair athlete Gianni Quintero on World Abilitysport Games
