WICHITA, Kan. – Today U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo., announced that Wichita State Track and Field sprinter Deja Young has been named to the 2016 U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Team. 

Young is one of 47 athletes (30 male, 17 female), including four guides, that have been named to the 2016 U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Team.

The sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, made a name for herself in Doha, Qatar, at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships, winning the Gold Medal in the T47 100 meters in a time of 12.69. It was her second medal in the games as she won the Silver Medal in the T47 200 meters in a time of 25.08.

Young earned a spot on the 2015 team after winning the 100 meter dash at the 2015 United States Paralympics June 20, 2015, in Minneapolis, Minn., in a time of 12.26. Her time, in addition to running a 25.08 in the 200 meters, qualified her for the World Championships in Qatar.

The U.S. roster boasts a bevy of experienced athletes, including 18 male and eight female U.S. Paralympians. The team also includes more than two dozen athletes who competed in the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where Team USA posted three world record performances and finished in third place overall with a total of 39 medals.

Highlighting the 2016 national team roster are 13 reigning world champions:  Mikey Brannigan (E. Northport, New York), 1500-meter T20; David Brown (St. Louis, Missouri), 100 T11; Richard Browne (Jackson, Mississippi), 100 and 200 T44; Jeremy Campbell (Perryton, Texas), men's discus F44; Joshua George (Herndon, Virginia), marathon T53; Lex Gillette (Raleigh, N.C.), long jump T11; Sam Grewe (Middlebury, Indiana), high jump T42; Jaquvis Hart (Bossier City, Louisiana), 400 T47;  Ray Martin (Jersey City, New Jersey) 1500, marathon T52; Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland),  marathon T54; Rachael Morrison (Farmington Hills, Michigan) discus F52); Roderick Townsend (Stockton, California) high jump T47); Deja Young (Mesquite, Texas) 100 T47.

With the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games only a little more than seven months away, all roads to the Games for track and field athletes will pass through Charlotte, North Carolina; the city is host to the 2016 U.S. Paralympics Team Trials, the selection event for athletes competing in cycling, swimming and track and field to be named to the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team that will compete in Rio.

Set to be the largest Paralympic trials in U.S. history, the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will host more than 400 athletes competing for a chance to advance to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games as a member of Team USA on the cycling, swimming or track and field teams.

Following three days of competition, the event will culminate with a celebration on July 3rd, during which the U.S. team rosters for all three sports will be announced for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The Rio Games are expected to be the largest Paralympic Games to-date; approximately 4,500 athletes with physical impairments from more than 165 countries will compete from September 7-18.