Gabriel Diaz de Leon

Gabriel Diaz de Leon is a U.S. Army veteran, Paralympic medalist, and lifelong advocate for adaptive sports and wounded warriors. In 1984, while deployed in Honduras on a convoy escort mission, Gabriel’s military vehicle came under enemy fire. A bullet severed the steering column, causing the jeep to flip multiple times. Gabriel was thrown 30 feet from the vehicle and sustained a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed.

After undergoing eight months of rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Houston VA Hospital, Gabe began to rebuild his life through adaptive sports. What began as rehabilitation quickly turned into a world-class athletic career.

Gabriel became one of the most decorated Paralympic field athletes in U.S. history, earning six Paralympic medals in discus, javelin, and shot put, and representing the United States on five Paralympic teams and five World Championship teams. He also excelled in collegiate wheelchair basketball at the University of Texas at Arlington, helping lead his team to two national championships in 1989 and 1992.

After retiring from international competition in 2004, Gabe returned to sports in a new way—winning the A Division at the American Wheelchair Bowling Championships in 2008 and dedicating himself to coaching and mentoring the next generation of adaptive athletes.

He currently coaches seated throws through the U.S. Olympic Committee's military Paralympic program, working with wounded veterans and emerging athletes. He has served as a Paralympic throwers coach for Team USA, including leading field athletes at the 2011 World Championships in New Zealand and preparing athletes for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Beyond competition, Gabriel gives back through volunteer work at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital’s Spinal Cord Injury Center in San Antonio and by running clinics and field camps for young adaptive athletes nationwide.