University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a Paralympic silver medal with Team USA

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University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a Paralympic silver medal with Team USA

NANTERRE, FRANCE - AUGUST 29: Grace Nuhfer of Team United States competes during the Women's 100m Butterfly - S13 Final on day one of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on August 29, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776189145 ORIG FILE ID: 2169340306

Michael Beaven, Akron Beacon Journal · Akron Beacon Journal

Wed, Sep 4, 2024 ·

2 min read

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University of Akron student-athlete Grace Nuhfer won a Paralympic silver medal Thursday as a United States swimmer in the 100-meter butterfly at París La Défense Arena in Nanterre, France.

Nuhfer touched the wall second with a time of 1:03.88 from Lane 4 in the 100 butterfly final.

Italy's Carlotta Gilli won gold from Lane 5 with a time of 1:03.27. American Olivia Chambers finished fifth with a time of 1:06.32.

Nuhfer, who has an S13 visual impairment, posted the best 100 butterfly preliminary time (1:03.95) earlier Thursday.

"This is crazy," Nuhfer said with a smile Thursday in a televised interview with Heather Cox on USA Network. "I don't even know if it feels real yet that I am here in the first place, let alone now a medalist."

Grace Nuhfer of Team United States competes during the Women's 100m Butterfly - S13 Heats on day one of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on August 29, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) — University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a Paralympic silver medal with Team USA
(akron-beacon-journal)

Nuhfer finished eighth in the 100 backstroke final on Friday in a time of 1:13.35. American Gia Pergolini won the gold medal in a time of 1:04.93.

UA hosted a watch party in the Ocasek Natatorium for each of Nuhfer's four final races on Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Nuhfer is missing her first two weeks of classes to compete in the Paralympics.

"My team back home at Akron is like a second family to me and it means so much," Nuhfer said with a smile Thursday in a televised interview with Heather Cox on USA Network. "I can feel their support all the way from over here. They have really carried me through this meet and all of my Para meets. They are all my rocks. It means so much that I am able to be here and to represent the United States, but also the University of Akron and all of my sisters over there."

Nuhfer, 22, finished eighth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 28.22 on Monday and placed sixth in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:32.82 on Tuesday.

Brazil's Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago won the gold medal in the 50 freestyle in 26.75 and Pergolini won the silver in 27.51. Gilli won the gold medal in the 200 IM in 2:25.33 and Chambers won the silver in 2:25.90.

Grace Nuhfer of the United States competes in the Women's 200-meter IM SM13 heats during the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Swimming Trials on June 29 in Minneapolis. — University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a Paralympic silver medal with Team USA
(akron-beacon-journal)

Nuhfer set two Para-American records at the Para-American Games during the 2023-2024 school year, clocking times of 2:04.22 in the 200 butterfly and 56.85 in the 100 butterfly at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Nuhfer, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the daughter of Adam and Tami Nuhfer, graduated from Greenwood High School in 2021. She earned Academic All-Mid-American Conference honors as a business data analytics major.

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips swimmer Grace Nuhfer wins a Paralympic silver medal

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