Local athlete off to hot start at 2024 Paralympic Games

(WSPA) – A Rutherford County athlete is off to a hot start at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Stroud Connor, 24, is competing for team USA in Wheelchair Tennis, and won on Friday his first round of singles competition.

A graduate of Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, Stround defeated Gil Jose Pablo, of Coasta Rica 6-3 and 6-1 on Friday.

Stroud competed at Thomas Jefferson for four years, and was the second-ranked player in the nation in his junior year.

He’s also a five-time Junior World Cup Team member, three of those times being world championship winning seasons.

2024 is Stroud’s second trip to the Paraylmpics. He competed in the Tokyo games in 2020, finishing 9th in doubles and 33rd in singles competition.

In addition to being a top level athlete, Stroud is a student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro where he studies finance.

On Saturday, Stoud played his first round of doubles competition. He and his partner were beaten 6-3 and 6-4, by Argentina.

Stroud will be back in singles action Sunday against Sanada Takashi of Japan.

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