Boilermakers to represent Purdue in Tokyo Paralympic Games

Evan Austin

As the Paralympic Games torch travels through Tokyo on its way to the final cauldron lighting, a number of Boilermakers are ready and waiting to participate in the Summer Games. Taking place from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, the 2020 Summer Paralympic Games will showcase 22 sports, including the Paralympic debuts of badminton and taekwondo.

Purdue will be represented at the 2020 Summer Paralympic Games by a slate of athletes and organizers.

Evan Austin, swimming, will be competing in his third Paralympic Games. Alumnus of Indiana State, Austin volunteers as an assistant coach for Purdue women’s swimming. He currently trains at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center under John Klinge, head coach of women’s swimming and diving at Purdue. Austin is the current world champion in the 50-meter butterfly and is a medal hopeful for Team USA. He is scheduled to race in the 200-meter individual medley, 400-meter freestyle, and 50-meter butterfly.

Julie Dussliere, a Purdue alumna, is the managing director of Paralympics for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), a role in which she develops and supports programming for all summer and winter Paralympic sports. She began her career with the USOC as an assistant coach to the United States Paralympic swimming team in 2000; in the following years, she led the team to new standards of success. Under her coaching, the 2008 Paralympic swimming team brought home 44 medals -- including 17 golds -- from Beijing and set 16 world records. Her impact on the Paralympic Games extends to developing the national certification processes for Paralympic swimming officials, classifiers and coaches.

Joel Gomez will make his Paralympic debut in the track and field 1,500-meter race. An incoming freshman to Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Gomez plans to major in industrial engineering technology. In an interview with the Encinitas Advocate, Gomez said the similar pursuit of mechanical efficiency in both running and engineering is what has drawn him to the major.

Makayla Nietzel will compete in the 100-meter butterfly and 400-meter freestyle competitions in swimming. A first-time Paralympian, she is an incoming freshman in the College of Health and Human Sciences. Nietzel began swimming competitively when she was 11 and holds a number of Illinois state records. She trains under coach Vlad Pyshnenko, a medalist in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

To follow these athletes as they compete in Tokyo, see the full schedule and results compiled by Purdue Athletics. The complete Paralympic Games will be televised on NBC and NBCSN, and comprehensive coverage will be available online through NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app and the NBC Peacock streaming service.

Writer: Christy McCarter, mccarter@purdue.edu