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How to Watch: SLU’s Sarah Adam Competes in Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby

by Bridjes O'Neil
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Bridjes O'Neil
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Plus, Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Paralympics

ST. LOUIS — Good news, sports fans—there’s more international competition in store following the close of the 2024 Paris Olympics. While those Games ended on Aug. 11, they’ll be followed closely by the Paris Paralympics, which are also taking place in Paris.

Featuring 22 sports and 4,400 athletes worldwide, the Paris Paralympics will see Paralympians battling for gold in individual and team events, beginning on Aug. 28 and lasting through Sept. 8. 

Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, center, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, center, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, practices at the Bridgeton Recreation Center on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, trains at the Simon Recreation Center at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches an Occupational Therapy course at Saint Louis University on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches an Occupational Therapy course at Saint Louis University on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches an Occupational Therapy course at Saint Louis University on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches an Occupational Therapy course at Saint Louis University on April 11, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, celebrates with the Saint Louis University community during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at SLU on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches Occupational Therapy students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches Occupational Therapy students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, teaches students about wheelchair rugby during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, plays with an Occupational Therapy student during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam, the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team, plays with an Occupational Therapy student during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration at Saint Louis University on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam plays wheelchair rugby with students during DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam plays wheelchair rugby with students during DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam high-fives Bernard Rousseau, Dean of Doisy College of Health Sciences, during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam high-fives Bernard Rousseau, Dean of Doisy College of Health Sciences, during the DASA (Disabled Athlete Sports Association) Ability Awareness Demonstration on April 22, 2024. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
Sarah Adam is the first woman to be named to a U.S. wheelchair rugby team. Photo by Sarah Conroy/Saint Louis University.
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Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy at Saint Louis University, is among six athletes from the St. Louis region who will represent the area on Team USA. Adam made history as the first woman named to the USA Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby Team.

Adam made her international debut at the Americas Championship in 2022, where the team won gold, and later that year won a silver medal at the world championships. In 2023, she was part of the gold medal-winning Parapan American Games team that secured USA Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby team a spot for the 2024 Games. She also became the first American woman to win Parapan American Games gold in wheelchair rugby.

Since it debuted at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, only five women have competed in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics.

This is the first Paralympic Summer Games ever to take place in Paris. The sports on the program also include badminton and taekwondo, canoe/kayak, wheelchair basketball, equestrian, boccia, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair fencing, sitting volleyball, swimming, archery, goalball, football (soccer), track and field, judo, table tennis, triathlon, powerlifting, cycling and shooting.  

Ahead, find out everything we know about the 2024 Paralympics, from how to watch to which sports will be included, and more.

You Can Stream the Paralympics or Watch on Cable TV

In the United States, all events from the Paris 2024 Paralympics will be available to stream on the Peacock app, while live coverage will air on NBC, CNBC, and USA Network. Meanwhile, you can also follow along on the official Paralympics YouTube channel, as well as the International Paralympic Committee website.

When to Watch Sarah Adam Compete in Wheelchair Rugby

Adam and Team USA's first Paralympic match in Paris is against Canada on Aug. 29 at 6:30 a.m. For a complete schedule, click here.