Deb Carabet expands access to para-sports in Los Angeles

Deb Carabet, founder and CEO of Elevate Multisport & Paratriathlon Coaching, is building pathways for para-athletes, women and beginners in Southern California. With the Los Angeles 2028 Games ahead, her work reflects both the access gaps in adaptive sports and the opportunity for broader investment.

Why it matters: - Deb Carabet is helping fill a major access gap in adaptive sports by coaching para-athletes and introducing more women and beginners to multisport. - Her work matters now because the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games could increase visibility, funding and long-term support for inclusive programs. - Southern California currently has only one dedicated full-time professional in this role, underscoring how limited the coaching pipeline remains.

What happened: - Deb Carabet founded and leads Elevate Multisport & Paratriathlon Coaching and works as a full-time Para-Multisport Coach in the Los Angeles area. - Her coaching covers paratriathletes and para-athletes in paracycling, pararunning and paraswimming. - She also coaches women and beginners of all abilities in multisport and endurance sports. - Her specialties include open water swim instruction and training for age-group athletes in cycling, running and swimming.

The details: - Carabet brings nearly a decade of coaching experience, including about eight years focused on para-athletes. - She builds training programs, talent identification camps and development pathways for athletes aiming at national and Paralympic competition. - She works as a coach educator for other paratriathlon coaches, widening the pool of professionals prepared to serve athletes with disabilities. - Her roles include work with USA Triathlon, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Dare2Tri, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and other adaptive sport nonprofits. - As Parathlete Coordinator for the Los Angeles Marathon and other regional races, she creates structured competition opportunities for athletes with disabilities. - Before coaching full time, Carabet spent more than 20 years in corporate media and sports marketing, including work in advertising, broadcast and partnerships with organizations such as Golf Digest. - Her academic background is in Deaf Education and Speech Pathology from San Diego State University and California State University, Northridge. - She communicates in Spanish and American Sign Language. - After Sept. 11, 2001, Carabet volunteered at Ground Zero and later spent two years there working with FEMA and the American Red Cross, including service as the Red Cross media liaison. - Her credentials include USA Triathlon Level 1 and Level 2 certification, USA Triathlon Level 2 Paratriathlon certification, USA Cycling certification for adaptive and non-disabled disciplines, U.S. Center for SafeSport certification and American Red Cross certifications. - Her contributions to the sport have earned her Coach of the Year honors.

Between the lines: - Carabet’s path from deaf education to media, disaster response and coaching shows how adaptive-sport leaders often bring skills from outside athletics into the field. - Her emphasis on mentorship, persistence and continuous learning reflects a sport ecosystem that still relies heavily on individual advocates and community networks. - Funding, accessible facilities and expensive equipment remain major barriers for adaptive athletes, from prosthetic running blades to handcycles and race chairs. - Air travel adds another layer of risk because airlines frequently damage sport equipment and everyday wheelchairs. - Carabet’s advocacy suggests that coaching is only one piece of the access problem; infrastructure, travel support and equipment security are also central.

What's next: - Carabet expects the Los Angeles 2028 Games to bring more attention and investment to para-athletes and inclusive sport pathways. - She will continue serving in advisory and board roles tied to adaptive sports, athlete welfare and the Paralympic movement. - Her broader network includes the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Velo La Grange, Dare2Tri, the USOPC Foundation, the USA Triathlon Foundation, Skid Row Runners, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, American Friends of the Hebrew University and the Israel Para Sports Center. - More information is available through Deb Carabet’s profile.

The bottom line: - Deb Carabet is using coaching, advocacy and community-building to make endurance sports more accessible for athletes of all abilities, especially as Los Angeles heads toward 2028.