Now A World Champion, Arelle Middleton’s Next Challenge Is Being A Two-Sport Collegiate Athlete

At just 17 years old, Arelle Middleton is young to be a world traveler, but that’s what happens when you dominate in an international sport.

The Rancho Cucamonga, California, native traveled to Paris in 2024 to make her Paralympic debut, earning a silver medal in the women’s shot put F64. She also made it to the women’s discus final in the same classification on that trip.

In 2025, she trekked to New Delhi for the World Para Athletics Championships Sept. 27-Oct. 5. There, she won gold in the shot put with a throw of 12.95 meters.

However, the biggest trip of all will be coming next fall when she heads to Tuscaloosa for her freshman year at the University of Alabama, where she will compete in track and field and wheelchair basketball.

“I never really thought of a school closer,” Middleton said, adding she’ll pursue a nursing degree at Alabama. “All the wheelchair programs are pretty far from me, which is what made me choose a school that’s not close to California.”

Won’t that be hard? After all, there is a difference between a short stay at location like Paris or New Delhi versus a relatively permanent location.

“A little bit,” she admitted. “I’m definitely really close with my mom, and I’ve been in California my whole life, but I’m really excited.”

Know what else is exciting? Winning gold.

Her international track-and-field coach, Jasmine Burrell, knew Middleton could do it because she is a student of the sport.

“She’s always interested in learning the why behind the movements,” Burrell said. “As a young athlete, you can tell her mom has done a good job to help her understand the why, and because she understands the why, she really is going to develop as a wise athlete at a young age.

“She’s a sponge. You can pour an immense amount of knowledge, and she holds onto it. You can tell she is very curious and her curiosity will take her a long way.”

Like to India, for instance. Middleton headed into worlds with the goal of winning a gold medal.

“It’s what I wanted to do, and needed to do, for myself,” she said. “I never once doubted I could get gold. I kept myself calm and did what I needed to do.”

A surreal moment, to be sure, but what was the difference between her throws at Paris and New Delhi?

“I would say I prepared myself more,” she said. “I was more locked in, I guess you would say. It was something I wanted to get — a gold medal in an international competition.”

Burrell knew before the shot landed on Middelton’s winning throw what she had just accomplished. 

“That’s the throw,” she recalled saying. “That’s it. She went in mentally prepared and I know she was very focused.”

Middleton is also one of the rare athletes that can compare her medals from international competitions. The gold medal “isn’t as heavy as my Paralympic (silver), but it’s very pretty,” she said with a chuckle.

Middleton, who attends Chino High School and participates in track and field against able-bodied athletes, is a terrific wheelchair basketball player, too. 

Richard Tirambulo is her coach for the Rancho Halos travel team and said big-time schools like Illinois, Texas and Michigan, along with Alabama, recruited Middleton, and for good reason.

“What doesn’t she do well?” he said, noting she averages close to 20 points per game. “She can handle the ball. She’s a post player, but now she’s established an outside shot, even shooting threes. She can drop a three with no problem.”

Being a collegiate athlete in one sport is tough enough, having to balance athletics with schoolwork and a social life. So, why not focus on just one sport, to make life just a bit easier? 

No way, Middleton said.

“It’s going to be a lot, honestly, plus with nursing, it’s going to be a very busy schedule, (but) growing up with those two sports, I couldn’t see not doing them both,” she said. “I want to be able to do two sports. Training every day or as much as possible will help me reach that goal.”

It all comes down to time management, she added.

The discipline needed to thrive as an athlete translates to being a good student, Middleton said. Plus, if she doesn’t get good grades, she can’t play sports, so that’s all the motivation she needs to work hard in the classroom.

Being a two-sport collegiate athlete is a daunting task, but it’s a challenge Middleton plans to attack by sticking to the mindset that’s helped her stack up international medals.  

“Always be your No. 1 supporter,” she said. “You should honestly always believe in yourself, even if you’re scared to do something.”

Gregg Voss is a journalist based in the Chicago suburbs who has been writing sports for newspapers and magazines for more than 20 years. He is a freelance contributor to usatf.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.