IPC NEW LOGO
INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
14992-Alyssa Gialamas photo

Alyssa Gialamas

USA flag square
United States of America
Swimming

Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment
Impaired range of motion
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
S5, SB4, SM5

Further personal information

Residence
Baltimore, MD, USA
Occupation
Sales
Languages
English
Higher education
Commercial Studies, Public Relations - Loyola University Maryland: Baltimore, MD, USA

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?
She began para-swimming in 2008 at the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association [GLASA] in Naperville, IL, United States of America.
Why this sport?
She was encouraged to try the sport by coach Glen O'Sullivan. Once she started, she found that she felt free in the water because she did not have to wear braces and was not sitting in a chair.

International debut

Year
2011
Competing for
United States
Location
United States

General interest

Hobbies
Socialising with friends, cooking, travelling, listening to music. (teamusa.org, 15 Sep 2016)
Most influential person in career
Her parents, and coach Glen O'Sullivan. (Athlete, 30 Oct 2011; inspiremechicago.com, 26 Aug 2010)
Hero / Idol
US swimmer Katie Ledecky. (napervillemagazine.com, 01 Nov 2016)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs
She has a lucky orange towel. (Athlete, 30 Oct 2011)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Go hard or go home." (Athlete, 30 Oct 2011)
Awards and honours
She was named the Inspirational Athlete of 2014 by the Greater Chicago Division of the March of Dimes in the United States of America. (swimswam.com, 29 Dec 2013)
Impairment
She was born with arthrogryposis, which affects the use of joints and muscles. (teamusa.org, 2015)

Results

Unit Date Rank
London 2012 Paralympic Games (London, Great Britain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Heat 1 2012-08-30 5
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Final Round 2012-09-01 5
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2012-09-01 3
Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2012-09-08 5
2013 IPC Swimming World Championships (Montreal, Canada)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Final 1 2013-08-13 4
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Final 1 2013-08-14 5
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Heat 1 2013-08-14 4
Women's 4x50 m Freestyle 20pts Final 1 2013-08-14 4
Women's 4x50 m Medley 20pts Final 1 2013-08-16 3
Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2013-08-17 9
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Heat 1 2013-08-18 8
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Final 1 2013-08-18 7
2015 IPC Swimming World Championships (Glasgow, Great Britain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Final 1 2015-07-13 4
Mixed 4x50 m Freestyle 20pts Final 1 2015-07-13 6
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Heat 1 2015-07-13 4
Mixed 4x50 m Freestyle 20pts Heat 1 2015-07-13 6
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Final 1 2015-07-15 5
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2015-07-15 5
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Final 1 2015-07-17 6
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Heat 1 2015-07-17 7
Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 Final 1 2015-07-19 5
Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2015-07-19 7
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Heat 2 2016-09-08 4
Women's 200 m Freestyle S5 Final Round 2016-09-08 7
Women's 50 m Freestyle S5 Heat 1 2016-09-12 6
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Final Round 2016-09-16 6
Women's 50 m Backstroke S5 Heat 2 2016-09-16 3
Women's 100 m Freestyle S5 Heat 1 2016-09-17 5