Gavin Sibayan

Gavin Sibayan (born January 3, 1981) is an American Paralympic football player. A United States Army veteran, Sibayan enlisted in 2001 and would retire at the rank of Staff Sergeant with an Army Commendation Medal and a Purple Heart. In 2007, he was involved in three IED incidents, the third of which left him with Traumatic Brain Injury that resulted in a permanent disability.

A high school swimmer, Sibayan transitioned to para-swimming where he represented the Army at the 2010 and 2011 Warrior Games. He won four gold medals and a bronze.

While still in active service, Sibayan was named to the USNPT team in 2010. As a member of the team, he won silver at the 2014 International 7-a-side Football Tournament, and bronze at the 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup and at the 2014 America's Cup. He was part of the USNPT at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, and was part of the squad in the lead up to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio.

Personal

Sibayan was born on January 3, 1981, and is Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a youngster, he went to Flynn Elementary and then Shaw Heights Middle School. He then attended Westminster High School, graduating in 1999. He is married and has two sons. He enlisted in the Army following the events of September 11. The gunner did a tour of Iraq while in the Army from 2006 to 2008. During his tour, he was injured by three IEDs in thirty days. The third IED incident on September 8, 2007, left him with permanent paralysis as a result of a Traumatic Brain Injury and hip damage. He came away from the event with four gold medals.

At the 2011 Warrior Games, Sibayan won a bronze medal in the 50-meter backstroke event for the Army. He also had a fifth-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle event and a seventh-place finish in the 50-meter freestyle.

Sibayan earned his first call up to the national team in 2010, and participated in a tournament in Holland in early 2011. He represented the United States at the 2012 Ukraine International Tournament and 2012 Paralympic World Cup.

Sibayan was part of the United States squad at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. The United States was drawn in Group B with Ukraine, Great Britain and Brazil. Their opener was against reigning Paralympic gold medal winners Ukraine. The United States lost in that competition to Brazil 0 - 8, and to Ukraine 0 - 9.

Sibayan was one of four defenders who participated in a national team training camp in March 2013 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. He was part of the United States team that participated in the 2014 Americas Cup, where he played in every game on the way to the US claiming bronze. In 2014, he was part of the USPNT that competed at the 9th International 7-a-Side Football Tournament. The USPNT finished second at the tournament. He came away with the prize. The competition was a warmup for the World Championships that were held in England in June 2015. At that competition, he stayed on the bench in the team's 10 - 0 loss to England.

Sibayan was part of the 14 man squad that represented the United States at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto. There, the United States played Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. He took part in a national team training camp in Chula Vista, California in early March 2016. The United States finished 6th after beating Argentina in one placement match 4 - 3 and losing to Ireland 4 - 1. The goals scored in the match against Argentina were the first the USA scored in the tournament, before putting up one more in their match against Ireland. The tournament featured 7 of the 8 teams participating in Rio. It was the last major preparation event ahead of the Rio Games for all teams participating.