Cassie Mitchell

CASSIE MITCHELL

Athletics
Cassie Mitchell
"Winning is awesome, but regardless of the color of the medal, I feel my best when I have thrown my best."
#TeamSunrise

SWITCHING SPORTS

After having switched sports several times due to my physical condition, I made it to the Paralympic Track & Field team, acquiring multiple world titles, medals, and records within 3 years. 

I eventually got the diagnosis of leukemia (blood cancer) a little more than 4-months prior to the 2016 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony. I never quit. The Games fueled me to overcome the seemingly impossible odds of cancer and chemoptherapy. I was blessed with a silver and bronze medal in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games despite the ongoing chemotherapy.  In Rio 2016, I was also one of the first athletes to compete in two different sports at the same Games (the other one being swimming). 

#TeamSunrise

ENGINEER AND PARALYMPIAN

Graduating from high school, I had five World Championship titles in western equestrian speed events on a horse I trained myself, and I had a full track & field college scholarship as a sprinter. But everything changed after being paralyzed and having permanent vision damage from a rare autoimmune disease. I was 18. 

I was first immersed in wheelchair athletics at Oklahoma State University where I played wheelchair basketball and got my B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I was set on becoming a Paralympian. Unfortunately, my neurological disease was progressive, so I had to keep changing sports to adapt to new impairments. I have also played rugby and trained in paracycling, becoming the first quadriplegic female to win a national championship and the first quadriplegic female world champion in 2011.

"I cross-trained in track & field prior to doing it at the elite level. I fell in love with track & field all over again, just like I did prior to being disabled."
My sports wheelchair
"To my knowledge, I am the first ever Paralympic athlete to use a Jay back on an IPC-certified seated throws field chair. I absolutely love the improved support I am getting in my throwing chair with this back and without it impairing my throwing motion. With the updated vast array of sizing options, I was able to get precise measurements for a more customized feel and fit. As a quadriplegic (F51) athlete, it is important that I have the "perfect" back support in order to excel in my events (discus and club throw), and I have seen performance gains already in using this back on my throwing chair."
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Road to Glory

2021
Paralympic Games (Tokyo)

Silver medal - Club Throw F51

2021
Desert Challenge Games, Arizona

Women’s T51 World Record

2017
IPC Desert Challenge Grand Prix, Phoenix, AZ

Women’s T51 World Record in 800m

Women’s T51 World Record in 1500m

2017
Para Athletics World Championships, London, UK

Gold Medal (World Champion, World Record): Women’s F51-52 Discus Throw

Silver Medal: Women’s F51 Club Throw

2016
Summer Paralympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Silver Medal: Women’s F51-52 Discus Throw

Bronze Medal: Women’s F51 Club Throw

Finalist: S1-2 50m backstroke (swimming)

2016
USA Paralympic National Championships, Charlotte, NC

Women’s T51 World Record 100m

Women’s T51 World Record 400m

2015
USA Paralympic National Championships, Minneapolis, MN

Women’s T51 World Record in 200m

2013
Para Athletics World Championships, Lyon, France

Gold Medal (World Champion): Women’s F51-52 Shot Put

Silver Medal: Women’s T51-52 100m

Bronze Medal: Women’s T51-52 200m

Bronze Medal: Women’s T51-52 800m

2013
USA Paralympic National Championship, San Antonio, TX

Women’s F51 World Record in Shot Put

2012
Summer Paralympic Games (London, UK)

4th: Women’s T51-52 100m

4th: Women’s T51-52 200m

4th: Women’s F51-53 Discus Throw

2011
UCI Paracycling Word Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark

Gold Medal (World Champion): Women’s H1 Time Trial

Gold Medal (World Champion): Women’s H1 Road Race