Paralympic Champions Shine With National Titles as Historic Para Nationals Opens in Eugene
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by USATF Communications
EUGENE – Veteran athletes led the way on the opening day of the 2025 USATF Para National Championships as multiple Paralympic champions captured national titles in a historic kickoff to the first-ever combined USATF Outdoor and Para National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Para athletes are competing for roster spots on the U.S. team for the 2025 Para Athletics World Championships, which will be held in New Delhi, India, from Sept. 26-Oct. 5. The team will be announced Sunday morning following the conclusion of the three-day competition.
In a rematch of the 2024 Paralympic men’s 400m T38 race, reigning Paralympic champion Jaydin Blackwell (Oak Park, Michigan) once again bested Ryan Medrano (El Paso, Texas) in one of the marquee Para events of the day. The duo went 1-2 in Paris and Blackwell – who has been the most dominant athlete in the event since his international debut in 2023 – retained his title with a time of 49.12. Medrano, who won two silvers in Paris in the 100m and 400m behind Blackwell, was close behind in 49.64.
One of the best distance racers in the world, six-time Paralympic medalist Susannah Scaroni (Tekoa, Washington) earned the national title in the women’s 5000m T54, topping a young field with a time of 11:03.68. Scaroni, who is the 2020 Paralympic champion in the event, is seeking her sixth world championships berth.
In a much tighter men’s 5000m T54 race, defending Paralympic champion Daniel Romanchuk (Mount Airy, Maryland) edged Miguel Jimenez-Vergara (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) by less than one second, posting a time of 11:02.93. Seven-time Paralympian Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minnesota) and Paralympic medalist Brian Siemann (Champaign, Illinois) went 3-4 in one of the closest finishes of the morning.
After winning a bronze in Paris, 2016 Paralympic champion Mikey Brannigan (Northport, New York) posted a time of 14:38.76 in the men’s 5000m T20. Though not a Paralympic or world championships event, Brannigan will return to the track to attempt to qualify for the worlds team in the 1500m T20 later this weekend.
On the field, Paralympic champion Noelle Malkamaki (Decatur, Illinois) won her F46 class competition, Malkamaki, the current world record holder in the F46 class and the reigning Paralympic and world champion, recorded a best throw of 12.63 meters. Paralympic silver medalist Arelle Middleton (Rancho Cucamonga, California) was victorious in the F64 competition as the up-and-coming 17-year-old threw 12.99 meters to hold off Paralympian Samantha Heyison (Adamstown, Maryland), who finished second. Middleton’s mark was also the furthest throw in the mixed-class women’s ambulatory shot put competition.
Returning to the national stage for the first time since winning bronze in Paris, 2016 Paralympic champion David Blair (Eagle Mountain, Utah) recorded a best throw of 57.57 to top the field in the men’s discus F64 competition. Blair is the reigning discus F64 world champion and is seeking his sixth world championships team slot.
Other notable national title wins from Paralympians included Josh Cinnamo (San Diego, California) in the men’s shot put F46, Hagan Landry (Delcambre, Louisiana) in the men’s shot put F41, Cassie Mitchell (Warner, Oklahoma) in the women’s club throw F51, Liza Corso (Newmarket, New Hampshire) in the women’s 1500m T13, Kaitlin Bounds (Russelville, Arkansas) in the women’s 1500m T20 and Jaleen Roberts (Kent, Washington) in the women’s long jump T37.
The 2025 USATF Outdoor and Para National Championships resume Friday morning at 11:30 a.m. PT and are being streamed live on USATF.tv as well as NBC and Peacock. Full results can be found here.
