GCU grad will compete in wheelchair fencing in the Paris Paralympics

Grand Canyon University graduate Jataya Taylor will travel to the Paris Paralympics next month to compete in a sport she first learned about two years ago.

The big picture: Wheelchair fencing, also called parafencing, has been around since the 1960s, but it's gaining steam in the U.S, with USA Fencing hoping to expand its program before the L.A. games in 2028.

The intrigue: Taylor, who has competed in other adaptive sports, told Axios she was participating in a recreational therapy program in Denver when she was recruited by the Denver Fencing Association to try wheelchair fencing.

• Taylor said she took to the sport immediately, despite never having seen any kind of fencing match in person or knowing one could happen in a wheelchair.
• The recruiters had hoped she'd be ready to compete by the 2028 games, but she surprised everyone by qualifying for the Paris Paralympics, she said.

How it works: "Wheelchair fencing is not jousting," Taylor said.

• Athletes cannot move their wheelchairs during a match — they are fixed in place, so the only way they can evade an opponent's sword is by leaning their body.
• That makes the competition more aggressive, because all attacks — and dodges — occur in a relatively small area, Taylor said.

What they're saying: "Fencing has been called active chess and that's what I love about it. I'm a really active person but say you're swimming laps. It gets boring. In fencing, you get to use your brawn and your brain," Taylor said.

Flashback: Taylor is a Marine Corps veteran who tore ligaments in her left leg and dislocated her shoulder during training accidents in 2005.

• She didn't know at the time that she has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome , which prohibited her leg ligaments from recovering. Twelve years after the injury, her left leg was amputated.

Zoom in: Several years ago, Taylor attended an event for female veterans and learned about GCU's masters programs. She wasn't ready to go back to school at the time, but when GCU followed up with her in 2022, she decided the Arizona Christian university was the right fit.

• She graduated last year with a master's degree in public health.

What's next: Taylor will compete in the foil and épée Paralympic fencing events in early September .