Melissa Nair Tillner Galeano (born 26 June 2000) is a Para athlete from Paraguay competing mainly in category T12 sprint events. She has been visually impaired since she was eleven years old.[1]

Melissa Tillner
Personal information
Full nameMelissa Nair Tillner Galeano
NicknameMeli
NationalityParaguayan
Born16 June 2000 (2000-06-16) (age 24)
Asunción, Paraguay
Height171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Sport
SportParalympic athletics
Disability classT12
EventSprint
Coached byEdgar Galeano

Career

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Along with Rodrigo Hermosa, she became the first Paraguayan athlete at the Paralympic Games in the country's debut in Tokyo 2020.[2] There she competed in the 100 metres T12 event, finishing third in her heat and making her personal best with 14.77'.

She has participated in two editions of the Parapan American Games: in Lima 2019 and Santiago 2023, she was the country's flagbearers during both editions opening ceremony, in Santiago with cyclist Iván Cáceres.[3] In 2023 she competed in three events: the 100 m, the 200 m and the 400 m, finishing in fifth place for the later.

She is expected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris in the 100 m T12 and 200 m T12 events.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Perder la vista a los 11 años no la limitó a ser atleta y representará al país en FranciaÚltima Hora
  2. ^ Paraguay busca cambiar la percepción con su debut Paralímpico
  3. ^ "Inauguración Parapanamericanos: estos son los abanderados de los 31 países participantes". santiago2023.org (in Spanish). Santiago 2023. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  4. ^ París se siente e inspira ABC Color
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Paralympics
Preceded by
-
Flagbearer for   Paraguay
(with Rodrigo Hermosa)

Tokyo 2020
Succeeded by
Melissa Tillner
Preceded by
Melissa Tillner and Rodrigo Hermosa
Flagbearer for   Paraguay
Paris 2024
Succeeded by
Incumbent