Annika Zeyen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Annika Zeyen

Annika Zeyen-Giles – German Paracyclist and former wheelchair basketball player
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Anni
Nationality	German
Born	(1985-02-17) 17 February 1985 (age 40)
Sport
Country	Germany
Sport	Wheelchair basketball (1999–2016) Wheelchair racing (2016–2019) Paracycling (2019–present)
Disability class	Wheelchair basketball 1.5 Wheelchair racing T54 Paracycling H3
Event(s)	Women's team
College team	University of Alabama
Coached by	Wheelchair Basketball Brent Hardin – University of Alabama Holger Glinicki German National Team/ BG Baskets Hamburg Wheelchair Racing Alois Gmeiner Paracycling Alois Gmeiner Oliver J Quittmann
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2008 Paralympics, 2012 Paralympics, 2016 Paralympics
Personal best(s)	800 m: 1:52.63 (2017, Nottwil, Switzerland NR) 1500 m: 3:28.64 (2017, Arbon, Switzerland NR) 5000 m: 12:10.31 (2018, Nottwil, Switzerland NR)
Medal record Wheelchair basketball Paralympic Games Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Gold 2012 London Team Silver 2008 Beijing Team IWBF World Championship Silver 2014 Toronto Team Silver 2010 Birmingham Team Bronze 2006 Amsterdam Team IWBF European Championships Gold 2015 Worcester Team Silver 2013 Frankfurt Team Gold 2011 Nazareth Team Gold 2009 Stoke Mandeville Team Gold 2007 Wetzlar Team Gold 2005 Villeneuve d'Ascq Team} Gold 2003 Hamburg Team Hand-biking Paralympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Time trial H1–3 Silver 2020 Tokyo Road Race H1–4 Bronze 2024 Paris Road race H1–4 Bronze 2024 Paris Time trial H1–3 Road World Championships Gold 2019 Emmen Road race H3 Gold 2021 Cascais Road race H3 Gold 2022 Baie-Comeau Road race H3 Gold 2023 Glasgow Road race H3 Gold 2022 Baie-Comeau Time Trial H3 Gold 2024 Zurich Time trial H3 Silver 2021 Cascais Time Trial H3 Silver 2023 Glasgow Time Trial H3 Silver 2023 Glasgow Mixed Relay Silver 2024 Zurich Road race H3 Bronze 2019 Emmen Mixed Relay Bronze 2021 Cascais Mixed Relay UCI Paracycling World Cup Gold 2022 Ostende Road Race H3 Gold 2022 Ostende Time Trial H3 Gold 2022 Quebec City Time Trial H3 Gold 2022 Elzach Road Race H3 Gold 2022 Quebec City Road Race H3 Gold 2023 Huntsville Road Race H3 Gold 2023 Ostende Road Race H3 Gold 2023 Maniago Time Trial H3 Silver 2019 Baie-Comeau Road Race H3 Silver 2022 Elzach Time Trial H3 Silver 2023 Maniago Road Race H3 Bronze 2022 Ostende Time Trial H3 Bronze 2022 Elzach Mixed Relay Bronze 2023 Maniago Mixed Relay UEC Paracycling European Championships Gold 2022 Upper Austria Road Race H3 Gold 2022 Upper Austria Time Trial H3 Gold 2023 Rotterdam Time Trial H3 Silver 2023 Rotterdam Road Race H3 Bronze 2022 Upper Austria Mixed Relay Bronze 2023 Rotterdam Mixed Relay German National Championships Gold 2022 Cologne Road race H3 Gold 2022 Cologne Time trial H1-H5

Annika Zeyen-Giles (born Annika Zeyen on February 17, 1985) is a German athlete. She used to be a top wheelchair basketball player. Annika played for teams like ASV Bonn and the University of Alabama. She also played for the German national team many times.

Annika won six European titles in wheelchair basketball. She also earned silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 World Championships. At the Paralympic Games, she won silver in 2008 and 2016. The highlight was a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. For this win, the German team received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf). This is Germany's highest sports award.

After the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Annika stopped playing wheelchair basketball. She wanted to try new sports as an individual athlete.

Annika's Early Life and Journey

Annika Zeyen was born on February 17, 1985. Her nickname is "Anni." When she was 14, she had a serious horse riding accident. This accident caused her to become paralyzed.

During her recovery, she discovered wheelchair basketball. After leaving the hospital, she looked for a club to join.

Wheelchair Basketball Career

Annika started playing wheelchair basketball with ASV Bonn. She played for their youth team, then the second team, and finally the main team. In 2001, she played in the German Championships for Women. She was even named the most valuable young player.

In 2004, Annika joined RSV Lahn-Dill. With this team, she won several German championships. She was invited to try out for the national team. She then joined their development squad.

First Paralympic Games

Annika competed in her first Paralympic Games in 2004 in Athens. She later played for the national team that won the European championships. They won in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011.

In September 2008, Annika played in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. Germany lost the gold medal game to the United States. The German team still took home silver medals. Their performance was so good that they were named the national "Team of the Year." They also received the Silver Laurel Leaf.

Playing in the USA

In 2009, Annika received a scholarship to the University of Alabama. She studied advertising and graphic design. Her team at the University of Alabama won three titles in five years.

In June 2012, Annika was chosen for the team going to the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London. In the gold medal match, her team played against Australia. Germany won 58–44 in front of a huge crowd. This was Germany's first gold medal in women's wheelchair basketball in 28 years. They were again named Team of the Year for 2012.

Later Career and Retirement

In July 2013, the German team lost the European Championship to the Netherlands. It was a very close game, 56–57.

In April 2014, Annika's club team, BG Baskets Hamburg, won their first international title. They won the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Euro League Challenge Cup. The German national team then won silver at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship. They also beat the Netherlands in the 2015 European Championships.

At the 2016 Paralympic Games, Germany won silver. They lost the final to the United States. Annika was chosen to be the German flag bearer at the closing ceremony. After these games, Annika decided to retire from wheelchair basketball.

Wheelchair Athletics

After the 2016 Games, Annika started a new path in wheelchair athletics. In May 2017, she won every race she entered at the German national championships. She set new national records in the 800m, 1,500m, and 5,000m. She qualified for the 2017 World Championships in London after only six months in the sport. Later that year, she finished 6th in the TCS New York Marathon.

Handbiking Career

In January 2019, Annika changed her focus again, this time to hand-biking. Her wheelchair athletics coach, Alois Gmeiner, also coached her in hand-biking. She is classified as an H3 athlete.

In her first year, she finished second in a World Cup Road Race in Canada. She ended the season ranked 4th in the world. This led to her being selected for the German National team. She competed at the 2019 Para-cycling Road World Championships in the Netherlands.

World Championship Success

Annika competed in the individual time trial and road race. She also joined the mixed relay team. The team finished third, earning a bronze medal. This win secured a spot for the German team in the relay at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

On September 15, 2019, Annika competed in the Women's H3 Road Race at the World Championships. She won the gold medal and became World Champion on her first try! She beat Alica Dana from the United States by just over one second. Annika finished the 51.8 km race in 1 hour, 37 minutes, and 41 seconds.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no official races in 2020. Annika returned to competition in June 2021. She competed at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Portugal. She aimed to defend her road race world title.

On June 9, 2021, the German team finished third in the mixed team relay. They won the bronze medal. Annika was the only female on the podium. Two days later, Annika competed in the H3W Time Trial. She took the silver medal.

On June 13, 2021, Annika competed in the Women's H3 Road Race. She won the gold medal again, keeping her world champion title! She beat Francesca Porcellato by less than one second. Annika finished the 58.8 km race in 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 56 seconds.

Major Achievements

Wheelchair Basketball

• 2005: Gold at European Championships (France)
• 2006: Bronze at World Championships (Netherlands)
• 2007: Gold at European Championships (Germany)
• 2008: Silver at the Paralympic Games (China)
• 2009: Gold at the European Championships (England)
• 2010: Silver at the World Championships
• 2011: Gold at the European Championships (Israel)
• 2012: Gold at the Paralympic Games (England)
• 2013: Silver at the European Championships (Germany)
• 2014: Silver at the World Championships (Canada)
• 2015: Gold at the European Championships (England)
• 2016: Silver at the Paralympic Games (Brazil)

Hand-biking

• 2019: Gold – UCI Paracycling World Road Championships – H3 Women Road Race (Netherlands)
• 2019: Silver – UCI Paracycling World Cup Road Race – H3 Women (Canada)
• 2019: Bronze – UCI Paracycling World Road Championships – Mixed Relay (Netherlands)
• 2021: Gold – UCI Paracycling World Road Championships – H3 Women Road Race (Portugal)
• 2021: Silver – UCI Paracycling World Road Championships – H3 Women Time Trial (Portugal)
• 2021: Bronze – UCI Paracycling World Road Championships – Mixed Relay (Portugal)
• 2021: Gold – Paralympic Games – H3 Women Time Trial (Japan)

Awards and Recognition

• 2008: Team of the Year
• 2008: Silver Laurel Leaf
• 2012: Team of the Year
• 2012: Silver Laurel Leaf

On January 7, 2020, Annika was invited to sign the City of Bonn 'Golden Book'. This book records important people who have shaped the city. Signing it is a very high honor. Annika's signature is now alongside famous people like Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II. She is also the first Paralympian to sign the book.

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