‘Survivor’ Alums Join 2024 U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team
The 2024 U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team features two faces familiar to Survivor fans. Ryan Medrano and Noelle Lambert qualified for the Paralympic Games in Paris this summer. The two appeared together on Survivor 43 and qualified at the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in Miramar, Florida.
Here is what you need to know about the former Survivor contestants and their Olympic dreams.
Survivor Players Competing At Paralympic Games
Ryan Medrano was born with cerebral palsy. He will compete in the men’s 100-meter T38, joining world record holder Jaydin Blackwell and Nick Mayhugh on the team. More so, it is Ryan’s first time to appear in the Paralympics.
Noelle Lambert lost her left leg in a moped accident in 2016. This is her second Paralympic Games. She last competed as a sprinter in Tokyo. This year, she represents the United States as a long jumper. She set various records in the women’s long jump T63.
Ryan expressed his gratitude for the honor on Instagram. He posted a photo of him and Noelle and wrote, “Would rather be covered in mud in Fiji, but these uniforms will do.” Several Survivor alumni praised the moment in the comments, including Nneka Ejere, Jem Hussain Adams, and Mike Gabler.
- “How cool is this?!?! So proud of you two”
- “This is simply amazing! Congratulations you both”
- “🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 So proud of you two!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸”
Who Were Ryan Medrano and Noelle Lambert On Survivor?
Ryan Medrano and Noelle Lambert appeared together on Survivor 43 in 2022. However, they were voted out back-to-back on Survivor in ninth and eighth place. Ryan was a huge fan favorite after sharing the story of overcoming obstacles with cerebral palsy.
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Ryan was one of the favorite Survivor stars Sia awarded special extra money to at the end of the season. Sia awarded him $50,000 as one of her favorite players. “I had more than a hundred messages about people being inspired, and it was jaw-dropping,” Ryan said after his elimination (via Entertainment Weekly).
Unfortunately, Noelle was voted out two days after Ryan. Most of the players saw her as a social, strategic, and physical threat. The biggest moment most fans remember was when she had to cross a narrow balance beam with only one leg. “It’s crazy because I’m not an emotional person. Ever since my accident, I’m not the type of person to show people how I’m feeling,” she said of the moment. “It was really cool to have them cheering for me. That really made the moment even more special.”
What are your thoughts on Noelle Lambert and Ryan Medrano from Survivor making the 2024 United States Paralympic Track & Field Team? Finally, will you be cheering them on? Let us know in the comments below.
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