Eva Houston
{{short description|American Paralympic athlete}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| name = Eva Houston
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|1|24}}{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/eva-houston_2486983 |title=Eva Houston |work=Paris 2024 Paralympics |access-date=August 22, 2024}}
| birth_place = Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.
| hometown = Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
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| education = University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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| sport = Para-athletics
| event = Wheelchair racing
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| disability_class = T34
| disability = Cerebral palsy
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{{Medal|Sport|Para-athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|800 m T34}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 Paris|800 m T34}}
}}
Eva Houston (born January 24, 2001) is an American T34 wheelchair racer.
Early life and education
Houston was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She attended Westside High School in Omaha.{{cite web |url=https://www.3newsnow.com/rebound/positively-the-heartland/omaha-woman-headed-to-paralympic-games-in-tokyo |title= Omaha woman headed to Paralympic Games in Tokyo |website=3newsnow.com |date=July 23, 2021 |access-date=August 21, 2024}} She played wheelchair basketball for seven years before transitioning to wheelchair racing at 15 years old, during her freshman year of high school.{{cite web |url=https://www.oiselle.com/blogs/oiselle-blog/eva-houston |title=How Wheelchair Racing Challenged My Relationship With My Disability |website=oiselle.com |date=December 15, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/eva-houston-1153662 |title=Eva Houston |website=teamusa.com |date=November 3, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}
After high school, she attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she majored in natural resources and Environmental science. She chose the University of Illinois due to their wheelchair racing team. In 2023 she competed in the inaugural national collegiate wheelchair championships at the Drake Relays.{{cite web |url=https://www.usparatf.org/news/features/2023/april/27/eva-houston-is-relishing-the-opportunity-to-compete-for-a-national-championship-at-the-drake-relays |title=Eva Houston Is Relishing The Opportunity To Compete For A National Championship At The Drake Relays |website=usparatf.org |first=Steve |last=Drumwright |date=April 27, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}
Career
On June 24, 2021, Houston was selected to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.com/news/2021/june/24/meet-the-us-paralympic-womens-track-and-field-team-for-tokyo |title=Meet The U.S. Paralympic Women's Track And Field Team For Tokyo |website=teamusa.com |first=Stuart |last=Lieberman |date=June 24, 2021 |access-date=August 22, 2024}} She competed in the 100 metres and 800 metres T34 events.{{cite web |url=https://omaha.com/news/local/omaha-native-headed-to-tokyo-to-compete-in-paralympics/article_3a3025f0-e0e8-11eb-9b37-d35c9752c12e.html |title=Omaha native headed to Tokyo to compete in Paralympics |newspaper=Omaha World-Herald |first=Kylee |last=Haueter |date=August 11, 2021 |access-date=August 21, 2024}}
On May 21, 2023, she was selected to represent the United States at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.{{cite web |url=https://www.usparatf.org/news/features/2023/may/21/forty-five-athletes-selected-to-represent-team-usa-at-2023-world-para-athletics-championships |title=Forty-Five Athletes Selected To Represent Team USA At 2023 World Para Athletics Championships |website=teamusa.org |first=Kristen |last=Gowdy |date=May 21, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2024}} During her World Para Athletics Championships debut, she won a bronze medal in the 800 metres T34 event. She also competed in the 100 metres T34 and finished in fourth place with a personal best time of 19.28.{{cite web |url=https://www.usparatf.org/news/2023/october/17/eva-houston-is-as-confident-as-she-s-ever-been- |title=Eva Houston Is As Confident As She's Ever Been |website=usparatf.org |first=Steve |last=Drumwright |date=October 17, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}
In July 2024, during the U.S. Paralympic team trials, she qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.usparatf.org/news/2024/july/21/fifty-four-athletes-nominated-to-u-s-paralympic-track-field-team |title=Fifty-four Athletes Nominated to U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team |website=usparatf.org |first=Kristen |last=Gowdy |date=July 21, 2024 |access-date=August 21, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/106674959?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=rlly550&utm_source=nbtwitter |title=Continuing success: Illinois wheelchair racers ready for the Paralympic Games |publisher=University of Illinois |first=Maeve |last=Reilly |date=August 13, 2024 |access-date=August 22, 2024}}
Personal life
Houston was born with cerebral palsy.{{cite web |url=https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/dad-pushes-daughters-wheelchair-on-field-to-fulfill-her-marching-band-wish |title=Dad pushes daughter's wheelchair on field to fulfill her marching band wish |website=Fox32chicago.com |date=November 12, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2024}} Houston is queer.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Team USA|new_id=eva-houston-1153662}}
- {{IPC athlete|eva-houston}}
- [https://www.paralympic.org/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/eva-houston_2486983 Eva Houston] at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics ([https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/eva-houston_2486983 alternate link], [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024-paralimpicos/atleta/eva-houston_2486983 alternate link 2])
{{DEFAULTSORT:Houston, Eva}}
Category:American female wheelchair racers
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Paralympic bronze medalists for the United States
Category:Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Medalists at the World Para Athletics Championships
Category:Paralympic wheelchair racers
Category:Paralympic track and field athletes for the United States
Category:Sportspeople from Council Bluffs, Iowa
Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
Category:LGBTQ people from Iowa