Joshua Turek
Joshua Turek (born April 12, 1979) is an American politician serving as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 20th district. He was formerly a wheelchair basketball player and a member of the United States men's national wheelchair basketball team. Political career
Turek announced he was running for Iowa's 20th House of Representatives district in March 2022. After a recount requested by his Republican opponent Sarah Abdouch, it was confirmed Turek won the election by six votes. He assumed office on January 9, 2023. He has worked extensively as an advocate for disabled people. He enters the Iowa state legislature as the first permanently disabled member in its history. Paralympic career
Turek has represented the United States in Wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics four times, finishing in seventh place in 2004, winning a bronze medal in 2012 and gold medals in 2016 and 2020. Personal life
Turek was born with spina bifida and has been a wheelchair user since childhood. His brother, John, and sister, Elisha, are both retired professional basketball players. References

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1979 births
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
American men's wheelchair basketball players
Sportspeople from Council Bluffs, Iowa
Paralympic wheelchair basketball players for the United States
Paralympic medalists in wheelchair basketball
Paralympic gold medalists for the United States
Paralympic bronze medalists for the United States
Wheelchair basketball players at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball players at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball players at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball players at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Medalists at the 2011 Parapan American Games
Medalists at the 2015 Parapan American Games
Medalists at the 2019 Parapan American Games
Basketball players from Iowa
21st-century American sportsmen
21st-century American politicians
American politicians with disabilities
People with spina bifida