Glen Ellyn Teen Brings Home Gold at Parapan Am Games in Toronto

A 14-year-old Glen Ellyn girl brought home the gold in the 100-meter backstroke while competing last week for Team USA at the Parapan Am Games.

Ahalya Lettenberger, 14, earned herself a gold medal on the first day of competitions on Aug. 8 at the Parapan Am Games, according to U.S. Paralympics press release. She finished with a time of 1:24.41.

“I really pulled at the water and worked on my finish,” Lettenberger said. “And that got me gold.”

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The Paralympic Games are an international, multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities. Ahalya was born with arthrogryposis amyoplasia, a muscular-skeletal disorder affecting her legs. Swimming has been a way for her to deal with chronic hip pain because of bilateral hip dysplasia.

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Ahalya began swimming at 11 and competed in her first para-swimming event at 12, but she’s already earned big achievements in the sport in such a short span of time. Last year, she was named to the U.S. Emerging Team and was on the U.S. roster for the Pan-Pacific Team.

Ahalya swims at the Wheaton Swim Club and will be attending Glenbard West High School this year as a freshman.