Sydney Barta

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Personal Story: Sydney Barta (born February 16, 2004) is a distinguished American track and field athlete, celebrated for her achievements as an amputee competitor. Barta showcased her talent in the 100 meters and 200 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. In recognition of her exceptional performance in 2019, she was honored as the US Paralympics Track and Field Female High School Athlete of the Year. Barta’s journey began in Arlington, Virginia, where she was born and raised. Her mother, Laura, played basketball for Princeton University. At the tender age of six, Barta endured a life-changing accident when metal scaffolding fell on her during a fun run, shattering her left ankle. This injury led to the development of compartment syndrome, necessitating 21 surgeries to remove the infected portion of her left leg. Despite these challenges, Barta’s resilience shone through, and she began her athletic career at eight, competing in her first track and field event in Fort Wayne. Her talent quickly garnered attention, leading to support from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which provided her with an advanced running blade. Barta’s career took off from there, winning gold in the 100, 200, and 400 meters at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Switzerland. Her success continued at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, where she claimed gold in the 200 meters. Barta’s impressive track record includes competing in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, where she participated in three events, finishing 7th in the shot put T64, 4th in the 200 meters T64, and 9th in the discus throw T64. At the 2020 Paralympic Games, she narrowly missed a medal in the 200-meter final, finishing 4th. A high school graduate of The National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., Barta is now in her second year at Stanford University, focusing on bioengineering and human biology. In 2023, she conducted summer research on gait analysis as a Wu Tsai scholar with a prominent orthopedic surgeon at Stanford, all while training for the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile. There, she won gold in the 200 meters, T64. Despite her busy schedule, Barta makes time for social activities. At Stanford, she joined a sorority and became the social chair of a capella group. She finds joy in studying, running, and listening to music, which helps her feel most like herself.

Physical Challenge: Below-Knee Amputee

Sport: US Paralympic Track & Field National Team

Social Media: Instagram