Ixhelt González

Ixhelt González
González at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Personal information
Born (2004-06-01) June 1, 2004 (age 20)
Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S.
Height5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Sport
SportWheelchair basketball
DisabilityFemoral anteversion
Disability class4.5
Coached byRobert Taylor
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Women's wheelchair basketball
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris Team
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Dubai Team
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Team
U25 Women's World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Suphanburi Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Bangkok Team

Ixhelt González (born June 1, 2004) is an American wheelchair basketball player and a member of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team. She represented the United States at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Career

At the age of 13, González represented the United States at the 2018 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship and finished in sixth place in the tournament. She was the youngest member on the team.[1][2] González represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the wheelchair basketball women's tournament and won a bronze medal.[3]

She again represented the United States at the 2022 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships and won a bronze medal.[4]

In November 2023 she competed at the 2023 Parapan American Games in the wheelchair basketball tournament and won a gold medal.[5] As a result, the team earned an automatic bid to the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[6] On March 30, 2024, she was named to Team USA's roster to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[7]

Personal life

González attends St. Francis de Sales High School in Chicago, Illinois. She was diagnosed with femoral anteversion, which causes her hips and feet to twist inward but does not require her to use a wheelchair in her daily life.[8] She started playing wheelchair basketball with the Chicago Park District's Skyhawks team.[9]

References

  1. ^ Kortemeier, Todd (July 12, 2021). "Meet The 12 Members Of The U.S. Paralympic Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team". TeamUSA.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Holohan, Meghan (January 16, 2018). "'She has the skills': Teen earns spot on U.S. women's wheelchair basketball team". Today.com. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Ixheit González". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  4. ^ Goldberg, Steve (June 9, 2023). "U.S. Squads Enter Postponed Wheelchair Basketball Worlds With Medal Hopes". TeamUSA.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  5. ^ "Parapan American Games Roster Selected for 2023 USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team". nwba.org. July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ticket Punched: We're Going to Paris! Team USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Defeats Rival Canada, 62-56, to Secure Gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games". nwba.org. November 24, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  7. ^ "Paralympics Games Roster Selected for 2024 U.S.A Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team". nwba.org. March 30, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "Ixheit González". TeamUSA.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Sanders, Hosea; Burton, Cheryl; Isang, Marissa N. (January 28, 2018). "Chicago 13-year-old makes U.S. women's wheelchair basketball team". abc7chicago.com. Retrieved February 7, 2022.


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