Dr. Ahmed to Cover US Olympic Team

Dr. Sonya Ahmed, a board-certified and fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon and Partner at the Nilssen Orthopedics Ankle and Foot Center, is proud to announce that she will provide orthopaedic and sports medicine coverage for the US Olympic Team at the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019. The Games, which were originally slated to take place in San Diego, CA, will run from October 12-16 in Doha, Qatar. Dr. Ahmed is excited about the opportunity to once again provide team coverage on behalf of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

WHAT ARE THE WORLD BEACH GAMES?

The inaugural 2019 World Beach Games is a multi-sport event hosted by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), an international sports federation comprised of the various National Olympic Committees that belong to the International Olympic Committee, plus eight associate National Olympic Committees that are recognized by their respective continental associations. The games will bring together over 1,300 athletes from more than 90 countries in the peninsular nation of Qatar, where they will compete in a variety of events both on and off the beach. The complete lineup of sports participating in the Games includes:

• 3-on-3 Basketball
• Beach Soccer
• Beach Handball
• Karate Kata
• Kitefoil Racing
• Skateboarding
• Bouldering (Sport Climbing)
• Long and Shortboard Surfing
• Open Water Swimming (5km)
• Beach Tennis
• Aquathlon (Swimming + Running)
• 4-on-4 Beach Volleyball
• Wakeboarding
• Waterski Jumping
• Beach Wrestling

DR. SONYA AHMED

Sonya Ahmed, MD is a board-certified and fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon with expertise in treating disorders of the foot and ankle. Dr. Ahmed graduated from a combined BA/MD 6-year program at the University of Missouri Kansas City with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and a Doctor of Medicine with distinction. As if completing college and medical school in 6 years was not difficult enough, she managed to also earn a scholarship in Track and Field at UMKC, ultimately becoming the school’s first competitive, conference-winning female pole vaulter. In addition to her early success as an elite-level gymnast, Dr. Ahmed was also the first female pole vaulter to be inducted into the UMKC Hall of Fame. 

Following graduation, Dr. Ahmed completed a residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas where she received the Hutchings Endowed Scholarship Award for Academic Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery. She went on to complete a dedicated foot and ankle fellowship at the American Sports Medicine Institute under the tutelage of the prestigious Drs. James Andrews, Angus McBryde, John Gould, and John Kirchner.

Dr. Ahmed’s experience and achievements speak to her expertise and reputation, and the World Beach Games will not be her first foray into the world of covering elite athletes. During her career, she has served as a consultant to the San Diego Chargers, the San Diego Padres, and has been the team physician for various high school and collegiate teams. Not will the Games be her first experience working with Olympians; Dr. Ahmed previously served as a regional medical provider for the United States Olympic Team, during which time she cared for medal-winning athletes on the rugby, track and field, volleyball, figure skating, and paralympic teams. She was also hand-selected by the United States Olympic Committee to be the Chief Medical Officer for the Youth Winter Olympic Games in 2016.

HOW TO WATCH

If you are interested in following the 2019 World Beach Games, a schedule of all the Games’ live-stream offerings can be found here. You can also follow the action on social media using the Games’ Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. While the Games will not be available via television broadcast in the United States, the ANOC has made a concerted effort to provide vibrant streaming options for American fans of the Games. We look forward to following Dr. Ahmed’s journey and cheering on Team USA!