Team USA Shines Bright: A Powerful Finish to the 2025 Deaflympics

The United States wrapped up their journey at the 2025 Deaflympics with determination and heart, giving everything they had on the final day of competition.

Hannah Kohler of USA Deaf Track & Field set the tone early in the morning, powering through the women’s marathon, held on a closed freeway in the heart of Tokyo. As one of the youngest runners in the field, she held strong throughout the race and crossed the finish line in 3:09:54, earning a well-deserved 6th place out of a field of 16 runners.

Over at the volleyball venue, the U.S. Men’s team battled Turkey for the bronze medal. The Americans came out sharp, taking the first set 26–24 in a tight fight. But momentum shifted, and a series of costly mistakes allowed Turkey to take the next three sets. The United States ultimately fell 1–3, finishing the tournament in 4th place.

The men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country race began at 11:15 a.m., where Team USA gritted their way to Bronze, courtesy of John Klish, who delivered a standout performance, racing his way to a time of 1:28:29.09. Teammate Jayson Wallace also pushed hard, even leading parts of the race early. A flat tire on the final lap slowed him down, but he refused to quit, running on foot to the finish line, taking home 6th place. 

Next, the legendary U.S. Women’s National team stepped onto the field for their gold medal match against host nation Japan. From kickoff to the final whistle, Team USA controlled the pace, the ball, and the scoreboard. Goals from Erin Cembrale, Emily Cressy, and Holly Hunter sealed a dominant 4–0 victory. With this win, the team remains undefeated in all of Deaflympics history—an extraordinary legacy extended once again.

The United States then kept rolling, as the USA Deaf Basketball women’s team tipped off in the Gold medal game, also against Japan. The U.S. came in undefeated, but Japan played aggressively from the start. By halftime, Japan led 37–29. The Americans rallied in the second half and nearly completed the comeback, but the final buzzer sounded with Japan ahead 65–64. It was a heartbreaking finish, but the U.S. walked away with a proud Silver medal.

As the evening began, USA Deaf Swim continued their dominance in the water. Marcus Titus set a Deaflympics record in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, winning gold in 1:02.51. Carli Cronk followed with a world-record performance in the Women’s 200m Freestyle, touching first at 2:01.77. Matthew Klotz added a silver medal for the team in the Men’s 50m Freestyle, finishing in 23.05, capping off an incredible Deaflympics in the pool for the Red, White and Blue.

The USA Deaf Basketball men’s squad stepped on the court as the very last United States squad to compete in the Deaflympics. In front of a packed, raucous crowd, they went up against Ukraine for the gold medal. It was a physically intense matchup with aggressive play from both sides and few fouls called. The U.S. held a narrow 40–38 lead at halftime and managed to build on it through disciplined defense and strong finishes at the rim. When the final horn sounded, Team USA secured a 69–59 victory and claimed Deaflympic gold, amidst joyous hugs and celebrations.

As Team USA concludes an unforgettable performance at the 2025 Deaflympics, with 36 medals–17 of them Gold, the American delegation looks forward to celebrating together with athletes from around the world at the Closing Ceremony here in Tokyo, Japan.

For more of the day’s event results, visit our results webpage.

As always, you can follow the U.S. Teams’ schedules, results, as well as follow every highlight, moment, and every story as the Games continue across Tokyo at our website: usdeafsports.org.