Eliana Marie Mason (born September 1, 1995) is an American goalball player who competes in international-level events.[1][2]

Eliana Mason
Mason (center) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Personal information
Full nameEliana Marie Mason
Born (1995-09-01) September 1, 1995 (age 29)
Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.
Weight150 lb (68 kg)
RelativeElla Halikas (cousin)
Sport
Country United States
SportGoalball
DisabilityGlaucoma
Medal record
Women's goalball
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Team
Parapan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2015 Toronto Team
Silver medal – second place 2019 Lima Team

Early life

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Born on 1 September 1995 to Kevin and Joanna Mason. She is Greek American and is a cousin of model and social media influencer Ella Halikas.[3] Eliana had underdeveloped eyes alongside glaucoma and cataracts, underwent surgery to remove her lenses which rendered her with only very limited vision in her right eye.[4] Eliana tried a variety of sports, including cheerleading, track, gymnastics, and soccer before she discovered she could excel in goalball without having to worry about her vision loss.

Career

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At the age of fourteen, Eliana was introduced to goalball at the Washington State School for the Blind. While at Portland State University, she started practices with U.S. Women’s National Goalball Team players Jen Armbruster and Asya Miller.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Eliana Mason - Team USA". Team USA. May 21, 2020. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015.
  2. ^ McCoy, Jenny (July 1, 2019). "Goalball Is the Super Intense Paralympic Sport You've Probably Never Heard Of". self.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "MY BIG, FAT, GREEK FAMILY *REUNION* VLOG". YouTube. December 10, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  4. ^ "Eliana Mason". Challenged Athletes Foundation. August 30, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "Eliana Mason". U.S. Association of Blind Athletes. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
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