Paralympic champion Ezra Frech steps onto Dancing with the Stars

Two-time Paralympic champion Ezra Frech has swapped the athletics track for the ballroom this year as a contestant on Season 35 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), becoming the latest Para athlete to take part in one of television's most popular entertainment programmes.

Born with congenital limb differences and using a prosthetic leg from an early age, Frech is one of the most recognisable Para athletics athletes in the Paralympic Movement. At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, he won gold medals in the men's 100m T63 and men’s high jump T63, adding to a growing list of achievements that also include the Paris 2023 world title in the high jump T63.

Frech's appearance on the programme comes as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Born and raised in the city, he has become one of the athletes most closely associated with LA28 and has frequently spoken about the Games' potential to improve awareness and opportunities for persons with disabilities in the United States.

"This is my purpose. I want to change the way the world sees disability," Frech said when the cast was announced, explaining that he hoped the programme would allow him to continue the advocacy work he has pursued throughout his sporting career.

Frech joins a growing group of Paralympians who have used mainstream television dance competitions to reach audiences beyond sport.

Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech made a strong first impression in the ballroom Tuesday night, earning one of the highest scores of the "Dancing with the Stars" season 35 premiere. https://t.co/1GAqZHtGmb

— ABC News (@ABC) September 16, 2026

Previous star athletes

Para snowboarder Amy Purdy became the first Paralympian and first double-leg amputee contestant on the USA show when she finished as runner-up in Season 18 in 2014. Her appearance on the programme later led to her performing one of the most memorable moments of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Para athletics has produced several contestants across international versions of DWTS and its equivalents. Italy's Giusy Versace became the first contestant with an impairment to win any international edition when she claimed victory in Ballando con le Stelle in 2014.

London 2012 long jump champion Kelly Cartwright competed in Australia's Dancing with the Stars in 2015, while Paralympic champions Heinrich Popow and Jonnie Peacock appeared on Germany's Let's Dance and Great Britain's Strictly Come Dancing respectively in 2017.

That same year, visually impaired shot putter Oney Tapia repeated Versace's achievement by winning the Italian competition. In 2022, Paralympic medallist Mathias Mester took part in Germany's Let's Dance. Retired Irish sprint champion Jason Smyth won Ireland’s DWTS in 2024 alongside his professional dance partner Karen Byrne.

Frech's own journey on the show began strongly. Paired with professional dancer Daniella Karagach, he performed a tango in the season premiere and scored 20 points, the third-highest mark of the night.

"That was one of the most special moments of my life. Honestly, that was unbelievable. I can't even process what just happened," Frech said afterwards.

He also received praise from judge Derek Hough, who previously partnered Purdy during her run to the final.

"He's worked with other amputees in the past like Amy Purdy, and so to hear those words from him, from someone who has so much knowledge, it meant the world to me," Frech said.

"Three years ago, I was literally so out of my comfort zone and then now, I'm performing on national TV. It's a crazy whirlwind of a process."

Frech credited Karagach with helping him adapt to the challenges of ballroom dancing.

"Her presence, her calming energy. I just trust her so much, and when you have that trust in your partner, it goes the longest way."

In his second week on the programme, themed “Viral Hits Night”, Frech impressed again with a cha-cha routine to Flo Rida's Low, finishing tied at the top of the leaderboard alongside Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn and actress Jenna Dewan.

Get your dancing shoes on - it's #InternationalDanceDay! Flashback to Rio #Paralympics when @AmyPurdyGurl danced at the Opening Ceremony 💃🏼🕺 pic.twitter.com/EtD0oVYc8u

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) April 29, 2017

Representation matters

Pioneer Purdy met Frech on the show and highlighted the importance of seeing a new generation of Paralympians perform in front of millions of viewers.

“Ezra said when he was a little boy he watched me on DWTS. Now I’m watching him on the show taking it to a whole new level. This is why representation matters. When you see it, you believe you can do it,” Purdy posted on social media.

“Watching him speak so openly and confidently about normalising disability has moved me more than I expected. Because when I was on Dancing with the Stars, I wasn’t there yet. I didn’t have the confidence to talk open about disability. I’m not even sure I knew how. 

“Ezra isn’t only showing people what’s possible. He’s talking about disability, owning it, and helping make it more normal to talk about.”

Dancing With the Stars is aired every Tuesday in USA on ABC and Disney+. Episodes are available to stream the following day on Hulu. More information is available on the official DWTS website.