Anja Adler

Reason: While she was in rehab following the fall into a mine shaft that caused her impairment, her physiotherapist connected her with Para canoe coach Mathias Neubert. "Canoeing was really fun. I stuck with it, made a lot of progress, and never regretted a single day, not even in winter when my hands froze on the paddle." (mz.de, 12 Jul 2019; teamdeutschland-paralympics.de, 21 Aug 2017) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 01 Sep 2023) Awards: In 2017 and 2019 she was named Sportswoman of the Year in Halle, Germany. (kanu.de, 13 Jan 2020; hallescher-kanu-club.de, 17 Jan 2018) Additional Info: FURTHER EDUCATION She has studied for a doctorate in geology in Germany. She switched courses from practical to theoretical geology due to the accident she had on an expedition in 2015 that resulted in her impairment. She has also studied for a master's degree in meteorology at the University of Leipzig. "I had an accident on an expedition as part of my doctorate in a disused mine. Now [speaking in 2017] I'm in theoretical geology instead of climbing in the caves." (teamdeutschland-paralympics.de, 08 Jun 2021, 21 Aug 2017; anjaadler-kanu.de, 17 Apr 2021; mz.de, 12 Jul 2019; wochenspiegel-web.de, 29 Nov 2018) SPORTSWOMAN She took part in a number of sports while she was growing up, and competed in race walking at an elite level before she sustained her impairment. "As a child I tried out various sports, including rhythmic gymnastics, until I ended up in athletics. I specialised in race walking, which I enjoyed until 2015, with a short break. It was always fascinating for me to exceed my own limits in the endurance area, always a bit longer, faster, or in the fight with a very friendly competition. In the short break I went 'foreign' from the endurance discipline and did ski jumping for two years. In rehab I also tried out various sports - wheelchair basketball, wheelchair table tennis, wheelchair rugby, Para badminton. But I settled on Para canoe. That was exactly the sport that bore many similarities to my beloved race walking. You are out in nature, you feel the freedom, you are challenged in the endurance area." (anjaadler-kanu.de, 17 Apr 2021)