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5 questions with Grace Nuhfer, University of Akron graduate and Paralympic silver medalist
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- 5 questions with Grace Nuhfer, University of Akron graduate and Paralympic silver medalist
Grace Nuhfer captivated sports fans on the international stage with her resilience and then returned to college life in Akron , where her roommates, their American hairless terrier, Hondo, and coffee shops awaited.
Meanwhile, a swimming career with the Akron Zips and a degree in business data analytics with a marketing focus needed to be finished.
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Nuhfer juggled it all with aplomb. In August, she swam for the United States and won a silver medal in the S13 100-meter butterfly (1:03.88) at the Paralympic Games in France. S13 is a Paralympic classification for swimmers with visual impairment. In April, she set a world record in the S13 200 butterfly (2:22.78) during the TYR Pro Swim Series in California.
In May, she graduated from the University of Akron and received a spot on the U.S. roster for the 2025 Para Swimming World Championships, set for Sept. 21-27 in Singapore.
Nuhfer, 22, was born in Indianapolis and grew up in Greenwood, Indiana, but she considers Akron her second home.
Nuhfer and her younger sister, Elaina, are visually impaired. They were born with a type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome known as brittle cornea syndrome. The genetic connective tissue disorder causes the cornea to be thin, fragile and prone to rupture. Loose joints are also common with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
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Nuhfer, who hopes to compete in the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles, discussed swimming and more with the Beacon Journal. This interview has been lightly edited.
University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer poses with the silver medal she won while representing the United States at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games before an interview at Ocasek Natatorium on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
You want to parlay your degree into promoting other athletes, and you also hope to use your love of photography. Why is it a passion?
My mom was also a photographer. I definitely was one of those girls who grew up and just wanted to be their mom. During COVID, I took her camera and taught myself how to use it. It was kind of my COVID passion project to stop from dying of boredom.
Everyone was like, 'Oh, how are you a photographer 'cause you can't see?' And my mom was like, 'She sees with her heart. She sees with her heart, guys.' But I love photography. I was inviting my friends over to do photo shoots around the neighborhood. I got to a point in high school where I was our photography editor for the newspaper. I had a internship here at the university with men's soccer. I was their social media intern for a season.
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I really just think I would be the most fulfilled if advocating was at the base of what I was doing. Growing up in and around athletics, I would also love to still be in that sphere somehow, or just in the sphere of lifting up voices of either athletes or female athletes, disabled athletes, whoever.
University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer is all smiles as she discusses her love of photography during an interview with the Beacon Journal at Ocasek Natatorium on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
What have you had to overcome to make your silver medal and world record possible?
With Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, loose joints and ligaments. I've had over 20 ankle sprains throughout my four years (of college), if not more. With the depth perception and then the loose joints, one uneven ground, and I'm gone. And then I had wrist surgery. Unknowing to me, I had two torn ligaments in my wrist, so that was painful, and I didn't know why. Now I have screws in my wrist.
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There's also the mental and psychological aspects of it. Being a DI athlete is so much more than competing. You have to take care of yourself, balance school, also take time for yourself and manage relationships.
What do you want people to know about what it took to accomplish what you did in the Paralympics?
The biggest influence to getting me to these really cool experiences has been the people in my life and the relationships I've made. Whether that's my family who grew up supporting me, whether it's my teammates, my friends, my coaches, it is not something I would've been able to complete alone. And it's just so cool to feel all the support, even when I'm like thousands of miles away. And it was obviously a once-in-a-lifetime moment of — well, hopefully not — but I'm standing on the podium and receiving a medal. It was so surreal.
I don't care about the medal because at the end of the day, I've won with the relationships I had. My team back here, never once did I feel like I was alone in Paris because they were all so supportive. My family and my other friends and my coaches, I would give away that medal in a heartbeat if it meant keeping those relationships. And I think that is the most important part of my journey.
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More on Grace Nuhfer: Akron Zips swimmer continues to inspire with world record after Paralympic silver
University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer won silver in the 100 meter butterfly during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
What are the most memorable experiences you've had since competing in the Paralympic Games?
There are actually two events that come to mind. The first one is after every games, the White House hosts a Team USA celebration weekend, which brings together the Paralympic and Olympic athletes of all different sports, and it's so cool because it's a chance to meet everyone. … We met Joe Biden, met his wife as well, and got a tour and really just had a chance to celebrate what we were able to do.
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Then also this past fall, I was invited to go to an Indianapolis Colts game with other Indiana Olympians and Paralympians. We were recognized on the field. It was just a really cool experience.
Paralympic Games: University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a silver medal with Team USA
What are some of your favorite things about Akron?
My friends and I have to do a lot of studying. Being student-athletes, it's hard to time manage that. But I think a way we've found to romanticize that is visiting a ton of different coffee shops. We love Porch Light, but there's just so many around the area, and I feel like we're always finding new ones. And they're all so cute, and everyone who works there, they're so friendly. They're like, 'Oh, my goodness! Student-athletes! Discount.' That's been really enjoyable to explore.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Grace Nuhfer discusses Paralympics, Akron Zips swimming and more
