US Para athletes nominated for 2016 ESPY Awards

Three-time athletics world champion Richard Browne and multiple-Paralympic medallist Tatyana McFadden headline shortlists of five men and five women US Para athletes for the ESPN’s 2016 ESPY Awards, which recognises sporting achievements during 2015.

Joining Browne for the Best Male Athlete With a Disability award are cyclist Joe Berenyi, extreme wheelchair athlete Aaron Fotheringham, ice sledge hockey player Nikko Landeros and swimmer Brad Snyder.

For the Best Female Athlete With a Disability, McFadden is shortlisted with sitting volleyball player Heather Erickson, rower and cross-country skier Oksana Masters, surfer Bethany Hamilton and cyclist Shawn Morelli.

The profiles of the ten athletes are as follows:

Best Male Athlete With a Disability

Richard Browne

The 24-year-old athlete climbed onto the first step of the podium at a major international competition for the first time in 2015, after winning two world titles in the 100m and 200m T44 in record breaking time in Doha, Qatar.

Joe Berenyi

The US cyclist win two world titles in the 3km pursuit and 1,000m time trial C3 at the Apeldoorn 2015 Track World Championships, and then went on to claim one gold and one silver medal at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

Aaron Fotheringham

Born with spina bifida, a birth defect of the spinal cord, the 24-year-old performs tricks on a wheelchair at skate and BMX parks and has won freestyle competitions.

Nikko Landeros

The sledge hockey player shined on the world stage last year after recording two assists over five games at the World Championships and being named US player of the game in the gold-medal win over Canada.

Brad Snyder

The 32-year-old was sensational at the Glasgow 2015 World Championships, where he took three golds in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle S11.

Best Female Athlete With a Disability

Tatyana McFadden

The ten-time Paralympic medallist claimed a third successive marathon grand slam by winning all four major marathons – London, Boston, Chicago and New York.

Heather Erickson

The sitting volleyball player led the US team to the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games crown, scoring 16 points in the 3-0 win over Canada in the final.

Oksana Masters

The 27-year-old won one silver and one bronze medal at the Cable 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships. Masters then turned her attention to cycling, claiming bronze at the Road World Championships.

Bethany Hamilton

After surviving a shark attack in 2003, the 26-year-old surfer had her left arm bitten off. But that has not stopped her from becoming a sporting icon.

Shawn Morelli

The 40-year-old cyclist had a memorable year 2015. Morelli sealed seven golds at different Road World Cups, becoming the WC4 overall champion, won two road world titles and claimed bronze in pursuit at the Track World Championships.

The ceremony will be broadcasted live on ABC on 13 July from the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, USA.

More information is available on 2016 EPSY Awards’ webpage.