Ryan Parsons
"At adaptive swim meets, I have a place where I fit in. The community is awesome. And because of it, I am even more proud of my dwarfism." - Swimmer, Ryan Parsons
Ryan Parsons discovered adaptive sports three years ago when he watched a friend with dwarfism compete at a Move United swim meet. What he saw sparked something immediate—the energy, the competition, the community of athletes just like him. He decided to jump in.
His first competition was Junior Nationals in Denver in 2022. There was a memorable scramble when he arrived for classification without his swim gear, sending his coach on an emergency Target run for a suit and goggles. But once he hit the water, everything clicked. Parsons experienced true head-to-head racing for the first time, made lasting friendships, and found the competitive fire that would shape his future. That day, he set his sights on becoming a Paralympic swimmer.
Swimming gives Parsons something powerful—a lane of his own where he can race his race, a team where he belongs, and a community where being different is celebrated. After trying various sports, he gravitated toward swimming because it let him compete without the challenges of contact sports. In the water, he feels strong, happy, and proud.
That pride fuels his training. Most days when he's not in school, Parsons is in the pool, working toward his goal of representing Team USA at the Paralympics. He's already achieved four of six Paralympic Trials time standards based on Paris 2024 qualifying times, with the Los Angeles 2028 standards still to come. He's confident he'll hit those remaining two marks before the 2028 trials.
For Parsons, adaptive sports has given him more than medals and personal bests. It's given him identity, purpose, and a future he's excited to chase. Swimming isn't just what he does—it's who he is.
Sports
- Swimming
