Alejandra Ibáñez also known as Ali Ibanez is an American wheelchair basketball player who is now 24 years old. She competed for the United States in the Summer Paralympics of 2020, and now her eyes are on the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Wheelchair Basketball player Alejandra Ibáñez qualifies for the Paris 2024
Alejandra Ibáñez has qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Alejandra has been a dedicated athlete, playing for the U.S. national team in various international competitions.
The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and the High-Performance Team Selection Committee have announced the final roster for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball National Team. These selections were made after the 2024 U.S. Women’s Selection Camp held from March 27-31 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Ali Ibanez, from Murray, Utah, has been named to the final roster. She has helped the U.S. team win gold at the IWBF Women’s U25 World Championship and bronze at the 2022 IWBF World Championships. Ibanez will be making her second appearance at the Paralympic Games, having been part of the U.S. team that earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, as well as the 2023 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships where they also won bronze.
When Ali Ibanez was born? Her Parents, and Siblings
Ali Ibanez was born on January 26, 2000, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her parents are Tiffanie and Sergio Ibanez. She has four sisters, Andrea, Elizabeth, her twin Elena, and Brook, and two brothers, Gabe and Isaac. She is 4 feet and 10 inches (1.47 m) tall. Ali is coached by Stephanie Wheeler and Trooper Johnson.
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Ali has been a wheelchair user her whole life because of a condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC). This condition makes the muscles in her legs weak and her joints very stiff and tight. Despite this challenge, Ali has many hobbies, including reading, drawing, socializing with friends, and playing basketball.
How did Ali Ibanez start her Wheelchair Basketball Career?
Ali started playing wheelchair basketball in the fall of 2013 and played on a varsity team in the junior division of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) until she graduated from high school. She went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied Graphic Design and played on the women’s wheelchair basketball team. Ali also graduated from Cottonwood High School in Murray, Utah in 2018.
In 2018, Ali Ibanez made her first appearance on the international stage, representing the United States at the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship. This was the start of her successful career playing for the U.S. in international wheelchair basketball competitions.
In 2019, Alejandra Ibáñez was part of the U.S. Women’s U25 Wheelchair Basketball Team that competed in the IWBF Women’s U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Suphanburi, Thailand. She played alongside other talented athletes, including Rose Hollermann and Abigail Dunkin, who brought experience and leadership to the team.
The goal for the U.S. Women’s U25 Wheelchair Basketball Team was to build on their progress from previous championships and compete in international tournaments, showcasing the depth of talent in the U.S. women’s wheelchair basketball program.
Ali Para Olympics Journey
In 2020, Ali Ibanez competed in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo as part of the USA Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team. This was her first time participating in the Paralympics, and she helped her team win a bronze medal, a great achievement in this prestigious competition.
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Ali’s classification for international competitions is 2.5, and she was born with a condition called arthrogryposis that affects the joints in her lower body. Her performance and success at the 2020 Paralympic Games show how dedicated and skilled she is at wheelchair basketball, and how she contributed to the success of the USA team.
After that, Ali went on to represent the United States at the 2022 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, where she and her team won a bronze medal.
In 2023, Ali also participated in the Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, and she and her team once again earned a bronze medal.
What happened to Ali Ibanez? and what’s her Disability?
Alejandra Ibáñez was born with a condition called arthrogryposis. This condition affects the joints in her lower body, making them extremely stiff. Because of this congenital condition, she has muscle weakness and tight, contracted joints in her legs, which has meant she has been a wheelchair user her whole life.
Arthrogryposis (AMC) is a condition where a person is born with joint contractures in two or more parts of their body. The name comes from Greek words meaning “curving of the joints”.
Children born with one or more joint contractures have abnormal thickening of the muscle tissue, which causes the muscles to become shortened. This means they are unable to fully straighten and bend the affected joints
