Matt Stutzman (Photo World Archery)
Four-time Paralympian Matt Stutzman has been named the winner of the Best Male Summer Sports category at the Para Sport Awards 2025.
The Para Sport Awards are presented every two years by the International Paralympic Committee, recognising excellence on and off the field in the Paralympic Movement. With over 200 nominations received for the 11 categories of this year’s awards, Stutzman’s achievement stands among athletes, coaches and volunteers from ten different nations across all continents.
USA’s Stutzman, widely known as the “Armless Archer”, captured his first Paralympic gold medal in the compound men’s individual event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games – hitting a new Paralympic record with 149 out of a possible 150 and making history as the first armless archer to win Paralympic gold.
He was also World Archery’s best athlete of 2024, becoming the first para athlete to be named archer of the year and finishing ahead of top able-bodied in the annual vote, a further recognition of his remarkable career and influence on the sport.
Adding the Para Sport Award to his list of accolades recognises both his outstanding performance and his wider contribution to para sport. This recognition also highlights how Stutzman has influenced a new generation of archers without arms – paving the way for greater representation and inclusion in his sport.
Stutzman’s journey into archery was unique.
Born without arms, he developed his own technique: holding the bow with his right foot and releasing the arrow with his jaw or other adapted mechanism. His 2024 victory not only achieved personal fulfilment but also helped widen the profile of Para archery globally.
In December 2024, Stutzman announced his retirement from international competition, ending a 14-year career on a high note, but continues to influence emerging archers, most notably Sheetal Devi.
The 18-year-old Indian para archer, who recently became compound women’s world champion at the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships and the first Indian para archer selected for the country’s able-bodied team, cited Stutzman as a major inspiration in developing her own technique and pursuing her ambitions at the highest level.
Best Female Summer Sports: Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland, Para athletics)
Wheelchair racer Catherine Debrunner delivered extraordinary performances at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, winning five golds and one silver.
She also excelled at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships and claimed victories in major marathons including Berlin, Chicago, London, and New York. Between 2023 and 2025, she set world records in five T53/54 distances, from 100m to the marathon.
Best Female Winter Sports: Anna-Lena Forster (Germany, Para alpine skiing)
Sit-skier Anna-Lena Forster showcased her exceptional talent at the FIS 2023 Para Alpine Skiing World Championships, winning four gold medals and one silver.
She continued her winning streak at the 2025 World Championships, claiming a gold in the slalom and silver in giant slalom.
Best Male Winter Sports: Tyler Turner (Canada, Para snowboard)
Tyler Turner capped off a stellar 2024–2025 season by claiming both the Crystal Globe trophy, awarded for winning the overall season standings, and his third consecutive world title in snowboard cross at the FIS 2025 Para Snowboard World Championships.
He delivered this gold-medal performance on home snow in Canada, making the achievement all the more special.
Rising Star Award: Ng Cheuk Yan (Hong Kong, Para swimming)
At just 15, Yan is a rising star in Para swimming. She won medals at the 2023 World Championships, Asian Para Games, and Para Swimming World Series.
Making her Paralympic debut at Paris 2024 aged 14, she became Hong Kong’s youngest Paralympic medallist with bronze in the 100m breaststroke SB6.
Breakthrough Award: Brahim Guendouz (Algeria, Para canoe)
Brahim Guendouz achieved a groundbreaking victory at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, becoming the first African athlete to win Para canoe gold, and Algeria’s first qualifier and medallist in the sport. His journey began with a bronze at the 2023 ICF World Championships, Africa’s first in the event, and culminated in KL3 gold in 2024.
Best Team: Japan wheelchair rugby team
Japan’s wheelchair rugby team made history at Paris 2024 by winning their first-ever Paralympic gold medal, becoming the first Asian nation to achieve this feat in the sport. T
he victory also propelled Japan to the top of the world rankings. Their journey began with a commanding performance at the World Wheelchair Rugby Asia-Oceania Championship in October 2023, which secured their qualification for the Games.
In Paris, they defeated Australia in the semi-final and went on to overcome Team USA in the final, achieving their best-ever result on the global stage.
Best Coach: Mathieu Jeanne (France, Para cycling)
Mathieu Jeanne, Head National Team Coach for the French Handisport Federation Para cycling team, led one of the most successful squads in the sport.
Under his guidance, the French Para cycling team delivered a standout performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, winning a total of 28 medals, more than a third of the host nation’s total medal count.
Community Impact Award: Paralympics New Zealand
Paralympics New Zealand’s ‘We’ll Give You Something to Talk About’ campaign for Paris 2024, challenged perceptions of Para athletes through TV and digital content, where Paralympians transformed negative comments into motivation. Reaching 3.43 million people in the country, it boosted website traffic and potential registrations eightfold. Brand affinity also soared as a result of the campaign, placing the Paralympic Team among New Zealand’s top four most loved sports brands.
IPC Member Award: Paralympics New Zealand
Paralympics New Zealand’s Paris 2024 campaign celebrated Para athletes and challenged public perceptions, encouraging Kiwis to see the athlete first, disability second. Alongside strong campaign results, Paralympic New Zealand’s Education Programme reached 406 schools, sparking meaningful conversations around disability and sport.
Volunteer Award: Sima Limouchi (Iran)
Sima Limouchi is a leading advocate for the Paralympic Movement in Iran, driving engagement through volunteerism, education, and leadership. She has inspired students, led workshops, and served as a Technical Classifier in Para table tennis.
As Head of Volunteers for Iran’s National Paralympic Day, she boosted public involvement and hosted awareness seminars. Her contributions include commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with UNESCO, supporting strategic planning through the National Paralympic Committee’s Development Committee, and championing Para table tennis at the Asian Youth Para Games. She also developed inclusive sports programmes for children with disabilities.
The Para Sport Volunteer Award winner was selected through a public online vote held from 30 October to 13 November 2025.
