Logan is thrilled to welcome eight Team USA athletes for the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting American Open Championships this July 8-11, 2022. Meet the athletes below!
Adan Arredondo
Adan Avila Arredondo is a proud Latino athlete who recently became part of the USA Para Powerlifting team in 2022. Growing up, Adan played various sports including wrestling, football, baseball, and cross country. A year after graduating high school, Adan suffered from several gunshot wounds in a mass shooting. The damage done to his body led him to become an amputee below the knee. Adan has helped many members of his community with his story and courage. He is an inspiration to many. Adan received several awards for his courage and bravery, including one from the Mexican General Consulate. Adan’s dream is to take stage and represent the Latino community in hopes of inspiring future generations to chase their dreams. When Adan is not training and competing, he is inspiring the younger generations as an elementary school teacher in Colorado. It is his life’s mission to bring positive change to his community. Adan aspires to compete in the 2028 Paralympics in California. Adan trains at Junkyard Training Education and Recovery Center, located in Centennial, Colorado.
Ashley Dyce
Ashley Dyce was born and raised in Colton, California. Although born with Spina Bifida, this genetic disease did not stop her from chasing her dreams. Starting in Para athletics in 2014, Dyce successfully became a National Champion & American Record Holder in discus, but transitioned to para powerlifting in 2016 out of a desire to challenge herself more. Dyce qualified for her first World Championships in 2017. During the next four years, she continued to train and compete as a part of Team USA Para Powerlifting internationally in World Cups and World Championships. When not training and competing, Dyce works as a graphic designer and ministers in her local church. She is currently ranked 12th in the world in the +86 weight class and continues to train toward the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France.
Bobby Body
Bobby Body was born at Fort Benning, GA Army base and grew up in a military orphanage. Growing up around the military, Bobby felt obligated to serve his country and joined the United States Army in 2004. Bobby was injured in 2006, which led to his above knee amputation. Bobby began able-bodied powerlifting in 2014 as an above knee amputee and became a 5-time national and 4-time world champion for bench press. Although very successful in able-bodied powerlifting, Bobby wanted to compete at the highest level, therefore, joined para powerlifting in 2021. After successfully making the team and qualifying for his first WPPO World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, Bobby found his true calling. Bobby finished second in his group at his first Para World Championship November 2021. Now looking to capitalize on a great beginning, he hopes to attain his first medal, for just his second international competition, at the Para Pan American Championships in July 2022.
Brett Forbes
Brett Forbes is from Bonne Terre, Missouri. He was born with Spina Bifida and is currently just 16 years old. He started playing wheelchair basketball when he was six and started training for competitive powerlifting about two years ago. He is very excited to have qualified for this event and is honored to represent the USA in his first International Para Powerlifting competition. Outside of powerlifting, Brett enjoys magnet fishing, hiking in new places, and geocaching.
Christian Largo
Christian Largo is a member of the USA Para Powerlifting team. He has traveled and competed with his team in international competitions since 2017. He earned a silver medal at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Mexico City, Mexico. A year later, he earned a gold medal at the 2018 Junior Americas Open in Bogota, Colombia. In 2019, he placed 12th at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and went on to earn a gold medal at the 2019 World Cup Paralympic Test Event in Tokyo, Japan. Christian Largo is a graduate from Randolph-Macon College and is pursuing a career in communications.
Jacob Herbert
Jacob Herbert was Born in Hawaii but raised in Indianapolis most of his life. Although he was born with Caudal Regression Syndrome, a rare spine defect, it did not stop him from competing in adaptive sports. Jacob first started in adaptive sports in 2010 with wheelchair basketball. In 2015, he decided to switch his focus to strength sports and in 2016, he made his first National Para powerlifting team. Form here, he qualified for his first World Championship in 2017. This would be the only international competition he would compete in, as other things in his life took priority over his athletic career. Outside of training and competing, Jacob earned his degree in exercise science in hopes of helping others with disabilities achieve their fitness goals. He is ranked 19th in the world in the 59kg weight class and is training to make to the Paralympic Games in Paris.
David Horvath
David Horvath is from Linn, Missouri. New to Team USA, this year’s event will be David’s first with the team. David set the Junior National Record for the Up to 59kg weight category at last year’s Junior Nationals in Denver. Before participating in the sport of para powerlifting, he started working out with a bodybuilding mindset and focus about seven years ago. David is preparing to start his senior year at Lindenwood University with a major in Exercise Science, with the hopes of being a personal trainer for both people with disabilities and the general population.
Luis Gonzalez- Poma
Luis A Gonzalez-Poma was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia. Despite having Spina Bifida, Alex has always had a love for sports. Starting from a young age, he could be found on many different playing fields. In high school he found his love for lifting weights, and over time he transitioned from weight lifting into strictly powerlifting. He qualified in 2017 for his first international competition held in Bogota, Colombia where he competed in 2018. Since then, Luis has continued to improve and compete. When Luis is not competing or training, he works as an administrative assistant for a construction company in Washington, DC. In his free time he can also be found writing short stories and comic books.
Garrison Redd
Garrison Redd was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. In 2005, Garrison was shot and paralyzed. He Started his Para powerlifting journey in 2018. He competed at his first World Cup in Manchester, United Kingdom and his first World Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia both in 2021. Garrison holds a degree in Finance from York College. Outside of Para powerlifting, Garrison runs a non-profit serving the disabled community and is an author, model, motivational speaker, fashion designer and disabled rights advocate.
Ahmed Shafik
Ahmed Shafik has been a member of Team USA para powerlifting since 2007. He was born in Iraq and diagnosed at the age of three with Polio. His dream was to be a weightlifting champion like his father. He traveled and competed for Team USA many times around the world. He is a two-time Paralympian, having earned medals in London and Brazil. His most notable performances include earning a gold medal in the Mexico championships and silver medals in both the Para Pan American championships and the Brazil championships. Ahmed’s dream is to qualify for the Paris Paralympic Games in 2024. Ahmed served in the United States Army from 2007 to 2011 overseas and is currently a mechanical engineer for Hilton. He is a father of two handsome boys.