Champaign - As the 2024 Paralympic Games prepare to take center stage in Paris on August 28, one man stands ready to lead Team USA's wheelchair track and road racing team to glory: Adam Bleakney. A three-time Paralympian himself, with a silver medal from the 2004 Games in Greece, Bleakney has been at the helm of the University of Illinois wheelchair racing program since 2005, molding champions and shattering records along the way.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Paralympic racer Susannah Scaroni, rolls down Washington Street in Urbana during the 2024 Illinois Half Marathon. The University of Illinois graduate in nutritional sciences will assist athletes with nutrition at the upcoming games later this month. She won the title, crossing the finish line at 50:08, ten minutes ahead of the second-place finisher.
Bleakney's journey into the world of wheelchair racing began after a life-altering spinal cord injury when he was just 19 years old. "I was looking for something to redirect my energy, and I was drawn to wheelchair marathoning," Bleakney shared with the University of Illinois News Bureau. With unwavering determination, he took on the challenge of the Chicago Marathon a mere year after his injury, setting the stage for a remarkable career as an athlete and coach.
Under Bleakney's guidance, the University of Illinois has become a breeding ground for Paralympic excellence. His athletes have amassed an astonishing 55 medals across four Paralympic Games, setting 14 world records on the track in the process. They've also dominated the world's most prestigious marathons, claiming victories in Boston, London, Chicago, and New York City.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has recognized Bleakney's exceptional leadership, naming him Paralympic Coach of the Year three times. His impact on the sport is undeniable, and it's no surprise that all nine wheelchair racing athletes representing the United States in Paris have a connection to the University of Illinois. The majority of these elite competitors have honed their skills at the university's state-of-the-art facility in the Rehabilitation Education Center, one of only eight U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training sites in the country.
As the Paralympic Games approach, all eyes will be on Bleakney and his team of exceptional athletes. With his proven track record of success and the unwavering support of the University of Illinois behind them, there's no doubt that Team USA's wheelchair racers will be a force to be reckoned with in Paris. The world will be watching as they push themselves to new heights, chasing gold and inspiring a new generation of athletes to follow in their tracks.
CHAMPAIGN - Illinois women's gymnastics program appointed Aja Sims-Fletcher as an assistant coach. The announcement of the staff addition came Thursday from Fighting Illini head coach Nadalie Walsh.
"From the very first conversation in the hiring process, it was immediately apparent to me that she is a woman of positivity, gratitude, resilience, and excellence," Walsh said yesterday in a statement. "I believe she will connect incredibly well with the student-athletes and will help us continue to cultivate a champion-minded team."
Aja Sims-Fletcher joins the Illinois women's gymnastics program this fall.
Photo provided
Sims-Fletcher joins the Illinois program after serving one year as the first head coach of Talladega College’s women’s gymnastics team. She is the second individual in the history of HBCU athletics to coach gymnastics. In February, the Tornadoes became the first HBCU program to win an NCAA-sanctioned meet, defeating the University of Alaska Anchorage and host Centenary.
Despite Talladega's success, last month Interim president Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough announced the private school's gymnastics program would close two weeks later citing the lack of financial resources to continue.
A standout gymnast at Alabama, Sims-Fletcher holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science, as well as an MBA from the University of Alabama.
She is excited to join the Illini program and looks forward to helping continue the team's success on the national stage.
"I'm honored to join the University of Illinois gymnastics program," said Sims-Fletcher. The Orlando, Fla., native has coached at various levels, including high school, club, and college. She was a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater. "The passion and dedication of the athletes, coaches, and the entire Illini community are truly inspiring. I am excited to work with the team and contribute to our collective goal of achieving excellence, in and out of the gym. This program has a proud tradition of success, and I look forward to starting this new chapter with this amazing team!"
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program has also won nine regional titles, two sectional sectional plaques, and two state trophies, one in 2016 and another three years later in 2019.
Modest about her accomplishment, she said the credit goes to all the players who contributed to the program's success. "Honestly, it's just a number on paper. What I hope it does is inspire them to continue the tradition that not only they have been a part of - this is going to age me - but also the hundreds of girls before them."
Now in her 18th year with SJO, 16 as head coach, with the exception of the abbreviated 2021 season, her teams have posted 20-plus wins every year. SJO is eight wins away from another 20-win season heading into Wednesday night's non-conference home match against the Danville Vikings.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
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CHAMPAIGN - Illinois women's gymnastics program appointed Aja Sims-Fletcher as an assistant coach. The announcement of the staff addition came Thursday from Fighting Illini head coach Nadalie Walsh.
"From the very first conversation in the hiring process, it was immediately apparent to me that she is a woman of positivity, gratitude, resilience, and excellence," Walsh said yesterday in a statement. "I believe she will connect incredibly well with the student-athletes and will help us continue to cultivate a champion-minded team."
