Chris Waddell

{{Short description|American Paralympic athlete}}

{{For|the English footballer|Chris Waddle}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name= Chris Waddell

| image= IPC_Hall_of_Fame_induction_4.JPG

| imagesize=

| caption = Chris Waddell at the Visa hall of Fame induction ceremony in London, August 2012

| fullname = Christopher Waddell

| nicknames =

| nationality = {{USA}}

| club =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|09|28}}

| birth_place = Eaglebrook, Mass.

| deathdate =

| death_place =

| hometown = Park City, Utah

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry| {{USA}} }}

{{MedalSport |Paralympic Alpine Skiing}}

{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}

{{MedalSilver|1992 Albertville|Men's Giant Slalom LW10}}{{MedalGold|1994 Lillehammer|Men's Downhill LWX}}

{{MedalGold|1994 Lillehammer|Men's Giant Slalom LWX}}

{{MedalGold|1994 Lillehammer|Men's Slalom LWX}}

{{MedalGold|1994 Lillehammer|Men's Super-G LWX}}

{{MedalGold|1998 Nagano|Men's Downhill LW10}}

{{MedalSilver|1998 Nagano|Men's Slalom LW10}}

{{MedalSilver|1998 Nagano|Men's Super-G LW10}}

{{MedalSilver|2002 Salt Lake|Men's Downhill LW10}}

{{MedalBronze|2002 Salt Lake|Men's Giant Slalom LW10}}

{{MedalBronze|2002 Salt Lake|Men's Slalom LW10}}

{{MedalSport|Paralympic Athletics}}

{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}

{{MedalSilver| 2000 Sydney |Men's 200 m T53}}

}}

Chris Waddell (born September 28, 1968){{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Members/Chris-Waddell#profile |title=Chris Waddell |website=teamusa.org |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720074715/https://www.teamusa.org/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Members/Chris-Waddell#profile |archive-date=July 20, 2023}} is an American Paralympic sit-skier and wheelchair track athlete. He is also an NBC Sports TV host.[https://www.teamusa.com/hall-of-fame/hall-of-fame-members/chris-waddell Team USA] He was a promising non-disabled skier while attending Middlebury College in Vermont, before a skiing accident left him paralysed from the waist down.{{cite web |url=http://www.athletesforhope.org/chris-waddell-allstar.html |title=Chris Waddell: Skiing, track and road racing |publisher=Athletes for Hope |access-date=January 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304074820/http://www.athletesforhope.org/chris-waddell-allstar.html |archive-date=March 4, 2013}}

As a sit-skier, Waddell won medals in the 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002 Winter Paralympics.{{cite web |url=http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&gender=all&name=waddell&fname=chris |title=Athlete Search Results: Chris Waddell |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=2013-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235414/http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&gender=all&name=waddell&fname=chris |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=live}} As a wheelchair track racer, he represented the US at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Paralympics.{{cite web |url=http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&gender=all&name=waddell&fname=christopher |title=Athlete Search Results: Christopher Waddell |publisher=International Committee |access-date=2013-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002022/http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&gender=all&name=waddell&fname=christopher |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=live}} He won a silver medal in the 200m T53 event at the Sydney Paralympic Games. In 2004, he set a T53 world record time for this distance which still stands.{{cite web |url=http://paralympic.org/Results/world-records/Athletics |title=IPC Athletics Records |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |accessdate=January 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118205815/http://paralympic.org/Results/world-records/Athletics |archive-date=January 18, 2013 |url-status=dead}}

In 2006, Waddell was inducted into the National Disabled Ski Hall of Fame by Disabled Sports USA. In 2010, he was inducted into the Paralympic Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=http://www.paralympic.org/Athletes/Halloffame/Inductees2010 |title=Paralympic Hall of Fame Inductees 2010 |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=2012-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823023832/http://www.paralympic.org/Athletes/Halloffame/Inductees2010 |archive-date=2012-08-23 |url-status=live}}

On September 30, 2009, Waddell became the first paraplegic to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. On May 5, 2010 he was named the 2010 Shining Star of Perseverance Honoree by the WillReturn Council of Assurant Employee Benefits to honor and recognize individuals and groups who overcome disabilities to succeed in the workplace and society.[http://www.thestreet.com/story/10747073/shining-star-award-kicks-off-disability-insurance-awareness-month.html TheStreet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006002111/http://www.thestreet.com/story/10747073/shining-star-award-kicks-off-disability-insurance-awareness-month.html |date=October 6, 2012 }}
- [http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2010/5/Pages/Disability-Insurance-Awareness-Month-Guardian-Assurant.aspx National Underwriter] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725180917/http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2010/5/Pages/Disability-Insurance-Awareness-Month-Guardian-Assurant.aspx |date=July 25, 2011 }}

Currently,{{when|date=February 2019}} Wadell has a foundation called "One Revolution" that is dedicated to seeing the world positively, by the use of "Nametags" that define oneself.