Tears began to form in Marla Runyan’s eyes as she answered questions on the red carpet ahead of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, I’m just so thankful,” the Olympian and Paralympian told The Gazette. “To be honest, I didn’t know if people noticed me or remembered me so this means a lot because its given me a chance to pause and reflect on all that work — it was a lot of work — and just be affirmed and validated that what I did mattered and that’s what this night means to me.”
Runyan, the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics, is one of 14 inductees into the 2025 Hall of Fame class recognized at The Broadmoor on Saturday night. The others are Steve Cash, Gabby Douglas, Anita DeFrantz, Allyson Felix, Susan Hagel, Flo Hyman, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Mike Krzyzewski, Phil Knight, Bode Miller, Serena Williams, the 2010 four-man bobsled team, and the 2004 women’s wheelchair basketball team.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1979 and honors the greatest of the more than 13,000 athletes who have competed for the U.S. at the Olympic & Paralympic Games. Each new class consists of five Olympians, three Paralympians, two legends, one Olympic team, one Paralympic team, one coach and one special contributor.
Eight of the honorees were in attendance to create an inspiring ceremony for the 420 guests in attendance including International Olympic Committee President Kristy Coventry and CEO of USA Hockey Pat Kelleher, who accepted sled-hockey legend Cash’s award on his behalf.
During her speech, 2025 inductee beach volleyball legend Walsh Jennings tearfully thanked all the people that were part of her journey, including her parents who were in attendance.
Another person she thanked was fellow Hall of Famer and former teammate Misty May-Treanor, who congratulated Walsh Jennings in a video before the Olympian accepted her award.
“I shouldn’t be doing this evening without Misty,” Walsh Jennings said on the red carpet. “One of the worst things about winning Olympic medals is that you don’t have your full team with you. You’re alone, but that’s just not the reality. Misty, my coaches and family have endured it all with me. It’s a beautiful honor, but you just want your people there. Misty changed my life, and she is my sister forever.”
Walsh Jennings described the phone call that she was being inducted as a “holy cow moment.”
“It was kind of shocking,” Walsh Jennings told The Gazette. “To get that call was so special. This class of athletes across the board, Para and Olympic, are so incredible, so to be represented with these amazing champions is so wild, crazy and special for me.”
For seven-time gold medalist Felix, who glowed in a white pantsuit Saturday night, the induction was for her parents and 6-year-old daughter Camryn, who were all in attendance.
“It’s huge to have my family here,” Felix said. “They sacrificed so much for me to be in this position. My daughter is truly my ‘why.’ I’m excited to have her here and hear from these incredible athletes.”
There were several empowering and emotional speeches (and video speeches) during the ceremony, with Runyan being no exception.
Runyan, who earned six paralympic track and field medals with five of them gold, remains the only American to have competed in both the Olympics and Paralympics. As she stood on stage with her guide dog, Grafton, Runyan shared her story of defying expectations to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and her optimism of the progress of paralympic sports.
“I remember the day the U.S. Olympic Committee rebranded as the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee,” Runyan said during her speech, spurring applause. “That is where we have to go. We have to be under the same roof, under the same governance. … We are one team — Team USA.”
She ended her speech with a short message that got the audience on its feet.
“What I hope others take from my story and every Paralympian tonight is this message,” Runyan said. “Disability does not preclude excellence.”
2025 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame class
STEVE CASH
Sled Hockey — Paralympian 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
Cash is a four-time Paralympic medalist (three gold, one bronze) after 16 seasons as a member of the U.S. men’s sled hockey team. The goalie holds eight world championship medals and earned an ESPY for Best Male Athlete with a Disability in 2009.
GABBY DOUGLAS
Artistic Gymnastics — Olympian 2012, 2016
Douglas has a combined six world and Olympic gymnastics medals and made history as the first Black woman to win the all-around title at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Douglas was a part of the “Fierce Five” U.S. women’s team in 2016 that went on to win the team title for the second-straight Olympics.
ANITA DEFRANZ
Rowing — Olympian 1976
DeFrantz was a part of the historic first U.S. women’s rowing team that won bronze at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and is still the only Black woman to hold an Olympic medal in rowing.
ALLYSON FELIX
Track and Field — Olympian 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020
Considered one of most decorated track and field athletes in history, Felix won 11 medals over five Olympics after her debut at 18 years old. Her seven golds are the most ever by a female track and field athlete and Felix ended her career with a combined 31 world and Olympic medals.
SUSAN HAGEL
Para Archery, Para Track and Field, Wheelchair Basketball — Paralympian 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996
A six-time Paralympian, Hagel competed in three sports over 20 years to earn four gold and two bronze medals. Hagel is still an advocate for the growth of adaptive sports and holds the distinction of the longest playing career of any women in her division.
FLO HYMAN
Indoor Volleyball — Olympian 1980, 1984
After not being able to compete in 1980 due to the U.S. boycott, Hyman helped the U.S. women’s volleyball team to its first-ever medal, a silver, at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Hyman went on to play internationally, helping pave the way for women’s volleyball international presence.
KERRI WALSH JENNINGS
Beach Volleyball — Olympian 2000, 2004, 2004, 2008, 2016
One of the most decorated beach volleyball players of all time, Walsh Jennings won three consecutive gold beach volleyball medals and a bronze in 2016 with longtime partner Misty May-Treanor.
MIKE KRZYZEWSKI
Coach: Basketball — Olympic coach 2008, 2012, 2016
Known as “Coach K,” Krzyzewski led the U.S. men’s basketball team to three straight gold medals as its head coach. Coach K coached at Duke University for 42 seasons, where he produced five national championship teams and a record 13 Final Four appearances.
PHIL KNIGHT
Special Contributor — Nike founder
As co-founder of Nike, Knight has influenced global sport while showing a deep commitment to athlete empowerment and the Olympic & Paralympic movement. Knight and Nike have demonstrated support for Team USA as partners since 2005 (USATF since 1991).
BODE MILLER
Alpine Skiing — Olympian 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
A six-time Olympian and six-time medalist, Miller’s aggressive, unconventional style influenced the future of the sport. He earned three medals in Vancouver in 2010 to help lead Team USA to a record eight medals in alpine skiing.
MARLA RUNYAN
Para Track and Field — Paralympian 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Runyan was the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics and earned six Paralympic medals with five of them gold. She remains the only American to have competed in both the Olympics and Paralympics.
SERENA WILLIAMS
Tennis — Olympian 2000. 2008, 2012, 2016
Over four Olympics, Williams won four gold medals, the first three in doubles and the last in singles. With 23 Grand Slam titles, Williams impacted the sport in multiple ways to become one of the greatest athletes of all time.
2010 FOUR-MAN BOBSLED TEAM
Known as “Team Night Train,” this team earned gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games after a 62-year drought for Team USA. The team consisted of Steven Holcomb, Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz.
2004 WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM
The U.S. women’s wheelchair basketball team won the program’s first gold medal in 16 years at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games. The win reignited an era of dominance in the sport.
