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Tracy Otto

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Tracy Otto
Personal information
Born (1995-11-28) November 28, 1995 (age 29)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Home townPlant City, Florida, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Tampa
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportPara-archery
DisabilityQuadriplegic
Disability classW1
Medal record
Para-archery
Representing the  United States
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Individual W1

Tracy Otto (born November 28, 1995) is an American Paralympic archer. She represented the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Career

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Otto began practicing para-archery in March 2021.[1]

Otto made her international debut for the United States at the 2023 World Para Archery Championships where she finished in ninth place.[2] In November 2023 she represented the United States at the 2023 Parapan American Games where she won a gold medal in the individual W1 event.[3][4] She then competed at the 2024 Para Pan American Championships in April 2024 and won a gold medal in the mixed team W1 with Jason Tabansky, and a gold medal in the individual W1 event.[5][6][7]

On May 13, 2024, she was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[8][9]

Otto finished eighth in the Paralympic women's individual W1 event.[10] She again competed with Jason Tabansky in the Paralympic mixed team W1 event, where the duo finished sixth.[11]

Otto aims to compete in the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles.[12]

Personal life

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Otto is from Florida. Before October 2019, Otto was an "aspiring fitness model".[1]

On October 24, 2019, Otto's ex-boyfriend, Francpiero Del Medico, broke into her home and attacked Otto and her new boyfriend, Rick Riessle. Riessle was shot eight times with a pellet gun and stabbed in the back puncturing his lung.[13] Otto was shot five times and stabbed in the back of the neck. One pellet so severely damaged her left eye, surgeons had to remove it. He also shot a pellet down her throat, and sexually assaulted her with the weapon while firing it as he did.[14][15] As a result of the attack, Otto was left paralyzed from the chest down, making her a C5 quadriplegic. She uses a wheelchair.[1]

Following her rehabilitation, Otto's family placed her in a nursing home in Chicago.[16] Riessle brought Otto back to Florida,[16] where he is now her full-time caregiver and arrow agent.[17][18] In September 2024, Otto announced her engagement to Riessle and that she was pregnant, with her due date in January.[19][12]

Awards

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In December 2024, Tracy Otto was included on the BBC's 100 Women list.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Tracy Otto: Paralysed by her ex-boyfriend, now a Paralympian". BBC Sport. August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "Tracy Otto aims for the Paralympics". gohawkeye.org. April 27, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  3. ^ "Otto adds another quota slot and more gold as USA tops the medal table at the Para Pan American Games". USA Archery. November 22, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Para Archery: USA Wins Gold Thanks to Tracy Otto". santiago2023.org. November 22, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Otto and Tabansky seek to set the tone for the weekend in claiming the USA's first gold in Brazil". USA Archery. April 26, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  6. ^ "Golden finish for the USA at the 2024 Para Pan American Championships". USA Archery. April 27, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  7. ^ "Tracy Otto". teamusa.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  8. ^ Caceres, Michelle (June 27, 2024). "Plant City Paralympian To Take Her Shot In Paris". Plant City Observer. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  9. ^ Corey, Allie (July 15, 2024). "Plant City para archer qualifies for Paralympics after surviving brutal attack". Fox13news.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "Otto opens with a win before exiting to eventual back-to-back Paralympic champion". USA Archery. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  11. ^ "Paris 2024, where medals and memories meets marriage and motherhood". USA Archery. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Back from Paris, Tracy Otto now practicing for Los Angeles". baynews9.com. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "Tracy Otto, chasing her dreams through archery, is keen to be a light in the world". USA Archery. January 17, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  14. ^ Marrero, Tony (October 25, 2019). "Riverview man sexually assaulted woman with pellet gun. She may never walk again". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Marrero, Tony (March 30, 2023). "Hillsborough woman aims for Paralympics after pellet gun, knife attack". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Pugmire, Jerome (August 29, 2024). "Five years after brutal attack severed her spine, Tracy Otto proudly calls herself a Paralympian". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Corey, Allie (April 18, 2023). "Hillsborough woman finds passion for archery after brutal attack leaves her paralyzed from chest down". Fox13news.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Herz, Jane (March 2, 2023). "I was paralyzed by my jealous ex when he caught me in bed with a new man — now I'm a Paralympian". New York Post. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "Paralympic Archer Tracy Otto Announces She's Pregnant Hours After Fiancé Proposes Under the Eiffel Tower". People.com. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  20. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2024: Who is on the list this year?". BBC. December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
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