What’s it like to soar through the air as a packed stadium cheers you on? Long jumper Lex Gillette compares it to being a superhero.

“It definitely is a really cool feeling,” he says. “It makes you feel larger than life.”

Gillette has been totally blind since he was 8 years old. But he didn’t let his disability be a barrier to becoming a champion athlete. 

Gillette competes with the aid of a guide, who stands at the end of the runway. He claps his hands and yells “Fly, fly, fly” so Gillette knows where to run. Gillette counts out exactly 16 strides before making his jump. 

Gillette holds the world record for the longest jump by an athlete who is totally blind: 22 feet, 2 inches. He’s already a five-time silver medalist at the Paralympics and hopes to win gold in Paris.*

“There’s going to be different challenges and things that might try to trip you up,” he says. “But always believe that you have what it takes to keep pushing forward.”

^{* At press time, Gillette still needed to officially earn a spot on the U.S. Paralympic team.}

What’s it like to soar through the air as a packed stadium cheers you on? Long jumper Lex Gillette says it’s like being a superhero.

“It definitely is a really cool feeling,” he says. “It makes you feel larger than life.”

Gillette has been totally blind since he was 8 years old. But he didn’t let his disability be a barrier to becoming a champion athlete. 

Gillette competes with the aid of a guide. The guide stands at the end of the runway. He claps his hands and yells “Fly, fly, fly!” That lets Gillette know where to run. Gillette counts out exactly 16 strides before making his jump. 

Gillette holds the world record for the longest jump by an athlete who is totally blind. His record is 22 feet, 2 inches. He’s already won five silver medals at the Paralympics. He hopes to win gold in Paris.*

“There’s going to be different challenges and things that might try to trip you up,” he says. “But always believe that you have what it takes to keep pushing forward.”

^{* At press time, Gillette still needed to officially earn a spot on the U.S. Paralympic team.}

Ixhelt González is usually shy. But that changes when she’s playing wheelchair basketball.

“I’m very aggressive on the court,” González says.

She began playing wheelchair basketball when she was about 7 years old. When González was 13, in 2018, she was good enough to make the U.S. women’s national team. As a member of Team USA, she won a bronze medal at the Paralympics in 2021. 

González doesn’t use a wheelchair in daily life, but her disability can be painful. Her thigh bones and feet are turned inward. This prevents her from walking long distances and running and jumping like other people can. But she says her disability has created opportunities for her as well. 

“It allows me to play wheelchair basketball on the world stage,” she says. “It’s taken me all over the world and allowed me to make new friends internationally.”

Ixhelt González is usually shy. But that changes when she’s playing wheelchair basketball.

“I’m very aggressive on the court,” González says.

She began playing wheelchair basketball when she was about 7 years old. In 2018, González made the U.S. women’s national team. She was just 13 years old! The team won a bronze medal at the Paralympics in 2021. 

González doesn’t use a wheelchair in daily life. But her disability can be painful. Her thigh bones and feet are turned inward. This prevents her from walking long distances. It also prevents her from running and jumping like other people can. But she says her disability has created opportunities for her as well. 

“It allows me to play wheelchair basketball on the world stage,” she says. “It’s taken me all over the world and allowed me to make new friends internationally.”

Hitting a target with a bow and arrow isn’t easy. In 2015, Matt Stutzman did it from 310 yards away—almost as long as three football fields. His shot set a world record. What makes his accomplishment even more amazing is that Stutzman has no arms. He shoots the bow and arrow with his feet.

Stutzman got into archery in 2010 so he could help feed his family by hunting. But over time, the sport became about something much more.

“It was more about showing the world what people with physical disabilities can do,” he explains. “Just because we may look different doesn’t mean we can’t get the job done.” 

Stutzman, known as the “Armless Archer,” won a silver medal at his first Paralympics, in 2012. This year will be his fourth time competing. He hopes to inspire kids to be resilient. 

“Never give up,” he says. “People will sometimes say, ‘This can’t be done,’ but there’s always a way.”

Hitting a target with a bow and arrow isn’t easy. In 2015, Matt Stutzman did it from 310 yards away. That’s almost as long as three football fields. His shot set a world record. What makes the accomplishment more amazing? Stutzman has no arms. He shoots the bow and arrow with his feet.

Stutzman got into archery in 2010. He wanted to help feed his family by hunting. But over time, the sport became about something much more.

“It was more about showing the world what people with physical disabilities can do,” he explains. “Just because we may look different doesn’t mean we can’t get the job done.” 

Stutzman is known as the “Armless Archer.” He won a silver medal at his first Paralympics, in 2012. This year will be his fourth time competing. He hopes to inspire kids to be resilient. 

“Never give up,” he says. “People will sometimes say, ‘This can’t be done,’ but there’s always a way.”

1. What piece of advice does Lex Gillette give in the article?

2. Describe two ways Lex Gillette and Matt Stutzman are alike and two ways they are different.

3. In the section about Ixhelt González, what do the authors mean by the phrase “on the world stage”?

1. What piece of advice does Lex Gillette give in the article?

2. Describe two ways Lex Gillette and Matt Stutzman are alike and two ways they are different.

3. In the section about Ixhelt González, what do the authors mean by the phrase “on the world stage”?