In the world of elite athletics, few journeys to the starting line are as profound as that of Kate Hwang. A former Kansas City police officer, Hwang’s life was irrevocably changed on June 12, 2003, when she was assaulted during a standard traffic stop, sustaining a severe front-to-back closed head injury, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). For years, the effects of her TBI were an invisible battle, manifesting in relentless headaches, memory loss, and cognitive fatigue that forced her into an early medical retirement from the police force she loved.

However, Hwang discovered a powerful salvation in adaptive sports, finding a new strength and purpose through competition in events like para track and field. Her incredible resilience has now propelled her onto the international stage, competing for Team USA in the 100-meter dash and shot put at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, India. And her story is not just one of athletic triumph but a testament to rebuilding a life of service after adversity.

In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, when our host Shreya Verma asked Kate Hwang about the connection between her former career and her current athletic pursuit, Hwang immediately focused on the universal experience of trauma and the choice to overcome it. “I think it’s just like getting over trauma and getting over adversity,” she reflected. “I think everybody, no matter who you are, whether you’re a kid, whether you’re an adult, whether you’re going through just your daily work, daily school grind, whatever it is, you’re always going to come into difficulties in life. You’re always going to come into trauma, whether it’s big or small. And you’ve got to find ways to learn from that trauma.”

She described the alternative as becoming stuck in a cycle of despair, but emphasized finding a positive outlet. Hwang’s personal encounter with trauma came on that ill-fated day when what began as a standard traffic stop with the Kansas City Police Department turned into a violent ambush. She endured a severe closed-head traumatic brain injury that led to seizures, memory loss, and relentless cognitive fatigue.

Despite the invisible nature of her injuries, which she initially masked out of a desire to continue serving, the complications ultimately forced her medical retirement—a profound loss for someone who had dreamed of being a police officer since childhood. The same dedication that defined her law enforcement career became the foundation for her new life.

She explained, “But if you find that way or if you find friends or an organization or something to get you over that trauma and over that hump and find something that you love or find anything, whether it’s sports, whether it’s volunteering, whatever it is, you’re going to find positive ways to put yourself into something awesome.”

After her injury, Hwang advanced to become an undercover narcotics detective working alongside FBI and DEA informants, a role she thrived in for its excitement and purpose. This ethic of service seamlessly transitioned into the next chapter of her life. “So my kind of thing is service,” she told EssentiallySports. “I have a nonprofit back home. We love trying to share what we love to do. So my world before injury was service, obviously, through the department. And so now it kind of continues to adaptive sports.”

This commitment materialized as the Adaptive Warrior KC Foundation, a nonprofit she founded to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to the resources, training, and support needed to reclaim their power through sports. So, how did she do during the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships?

Kate Hwang’s performance in New Delhi

Kate Hwang kicked off her first World Championships with a bang, snagging a bronze medal in the Women’s Shot Put F36 event on day one of the competition. She nailed her last throw at 7.51 meters, which landed her a spot on the podium. Cheyenne Bouthoorn from the Netherlands took home the gold medal in the event, while Kirra Wright from Australia snagged the silver. Looking back on her medal-winning performance, Hwang shared, “I knew that I just had to go big at that last throw and hope everything would pay off. I’m gonna have a lot of rest, drink a lot of water. I’m living on blessed fumes here.”

Besides the shot put, Hwang was set to run in the 100-meter dash, too. In the same conversation with EssentiallySports, Hwang shared her thoughts on her T36 Round 1 performance, saying, “I think anytime you want to run, you always want to run to compete, and you want to move on to the next one. I was a little disappointed in the start, I didn’t quite have my feet set, and the gun went off. But I think sometimes that happens when you’re not starting in blocks. The starter doesn’t quite see you still getting your feet set. So, definitely a little disappointed in my performance today.”

She finished in 16.04 seconds and came in fifth, which didn’t quite cut it for a spot in the next round. However, this performance didn’t become her reason to be sad, as she said, “However, at the same time, I mean, I’m at Worlds, man. I mean, definitely excited about being here and getting my first run in. You take a learning experience away from everything that you do, right?”

She’s all about living in the moment and soaking up every bit of experience she can from this. Hwang has taken the intense experiences of working with the FBI and the competitive spirit of elite athletics and turned them into something meaningful. After facing a deep personal loss, she has dedicated her life to service and inspiration, showing that even trauma can lead to finding true strength and purpose on a global level.