Cheri Madsen enters National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame

Cheri Madsen has been inducted into the 2026 National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame in the summer competition category. The honor caps a Paralympic career that includes 10 medals across four Games and highlights her continued role as a coach for emerging adaptive athletes.

Why it matters: - The Hall of Fame recognition spotlights one of the most decorated adaptive athletes in U.S. history. - Madsen's career helped expand visibility for Native athletes and for summer adaptive sports. - The honor also underscores the role former elite athletes can play in developing the next generation.

What happened: - Cheri Madsen, an Omaha native and enrolled member of the Omaha Tribe, was inducted into the National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame in the summer competition category. - The National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame recognizes achievements in summer and winter adaptive sports in the Competitor and Contributor categories. - The Summer Competition category honors an athlete who has distinguished themselves in national and international competition over at least three years through performance, sportsmanship, race results, team participation, innovation and contribution.

The details: - Madsen was paralyzed at age 3 and diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, a neurological disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. - She began wheelchair racing as a teenager in 1994 and qualified for the 1996 Paralympics two years later. - Madsen became the first Native American woman to win an Olympic medal, taking bronze in the 800m exhibition contest at the 1996 Atlanta Games. - She competed in four events at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney in the T54 classification and won two gold medals and one silver medal. - After taking time away to start a family, Madsen returned in 2013 and medaled at the 2013 IPC World Championships, the 2015 Parapan American Games and the 2016 Rio Paralympics. - She won silver at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and later added medals at subsequent world championships and at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. - Madsen's Paralympic career spans four Games: 1996, 2000, 2016 and 2020. - Her total Paralympic medal count stands at 10: two gold, five silver and three bronze. - In 2023, Madsen was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletes Hall of Fame. - Madsen now coaches emerging adaptive athletes. - “I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I can’t wait to see what the next generation of athletes accomplish,” Madsen said.

Between the lines: - The induction reflects a long competitive arc that combines elite performance, comeback success and public representation. - Madsen's move into coaching suggests the Hall of Fame is recognizing impact that extends beyond medals.

What's next: - More information about the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame and past recipients is available in the official awards listing. - Madsen is expected to continue coaching and supporting emerging adaptive athletes.

The bottom line: - Madsen's induction honors both a record of Paralympic excellence and a continuing influence on adaptive sports.