Danielle Aravich
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 8 May 1996 Idaho, United States | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Para biathlon, Cross-country skiing, Athletics | ||||||||||||||
| Disability class | LW8 / T47 | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Paralympic finals | Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022, Milan/Cortina 2026 | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Danielle "Dani" Aravich (born 8 May 1996) is an American Paralympic athlete who competes in para biathlon, para cross-country skiing and formerly in para-athletics. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and the 2022 Winter Paralympics.
Biography
Aravich was born in the U.S. state of Idaho and grew up in Boise, Idaho. She was born without her left hand and forearm. During her youth she participated in several sports including soccer, softball, basketball and ice skating before focusing on running in cross-country and track events during high school.[1][2]
She later attended Butler University, where she competed in cross-country and track and field before focusing on her studies. After graduation she returned to competitive running and eventually decided to pursue qualification for the Paralympic Games, leaving her full-time job to train as a para-athlete.[2]
Aravich made her Paralympic debut in the women’s 400 metres T47 at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. Only six months later she competed at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing, where she participated in para cross-country skiing and para biathlon events.[3]
Aravich began training in Nordic skiing after being invited to a development camp by a United States Paralympic Nordic ski coach in 2019. Her background in endurance running helped her transition into cross-country skiing and biathlon, where she quickly progressed to the international level.[4]
In addition to competing internationally, Aravich has been active in sports governance and media work. In 2025 she became one of the athlete representatives on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Athletes' Commission and Council.[5]
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Aravich said her goals extend beyond medals and include helping grow the visibility and popularity of the Paralympic Movement and para sports worldwide.[6]
Results
Paralympic Games
| Year | Venue | Sport | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Japan Tokyo | Athletics | 5th (heat) – 400 m T47 |
| 2022 | China Beijing | Cross-country skiing | 7th Sprint standing 9th Middle distance standing |
| 2022 | China Beijing | Biathlon | 11th Middle distance standing 13th Sprint standing |
World Championships
| Year | Venue | Sport | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Norway Lillehammer | Cross-country skiing | 4th Relay |
| 2023 | Sweden Östersund | Cross-country skiing | 1st Relay 6th Sprint free |
| 2025 | Slovenia Pokljuka | Biathlon | 6th Sprint pursuit 7th Sprint 7th Individual |
External links
References
- ^ "Danielle Aravich – Athlete details". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b "Dani Aravich". Living With Amplitude. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Dani Aravich Is Team USA's Newest Paralympic Dual-Sport Standout". Team USA. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "'Biathlon Bandit' Dani Aravich's summer training for Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. 2025-07-18. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Danielle Aravich (USA)". FIS. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Dani Aravich's mission beyond the medals at Milano Cortina 2026". International Paralympic Committee. 2025-12-15. Retrieved 2026-03-11.