para-athlete; parasports athlete
Refers to an athlete who competes in parasports, i.e., sports for people with disabilities.
He competed in the world championships as a para-athlete.
The achievements of para-athletes are increasingly covered by the media.
Variant with interpunct; less common but sometimes used for clarity.
Wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) combining 'para' (from 'paralympic' or 'parasports') and 'athlete'.