HURON — While many of his former classmates are busy preparing to head off for their first year of college, Miles Krajewski has some business to take care of before he embarks on his collegiate adventure.

The 2024 Yankton graduate is the lone person from South Dakota set to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games, which will be held Aug. 28-Sept. 8 in Paris.

Krajewski is relishing the opportunity to compete for Team USA in the badminton event. He has qualified in men’s singles and mixed doubles.

“It means a lot since it’s always been my dream to make the Paralympics,” said Krajewski, who was born with Achondroplasia, which is the most common form of dwarfism. “Missing out on the 2020 Paralympics (in Tokyo) made me a bit disappointed in myself, but also fueled me to train harder, and work harder to accomplish my goal.”
Krajewski is the son of Mike and Erica (Fenski) Krajewski. Erica is a 1993 graduate of Huron High School and Miles’ grandfather, Gary Fenski, still resides in Huron.

At the age of eight, Krajewski picked up on the sport of badminton and during the past 11 years he has worked his way to becoming the seventh-ranked men’s singles player in the world and also is currently ranked No. 1 in the world in men’s doubles with his partner, Vitor Tavares of Brazil.

“I played for the first time in 2013 at the World Dwarf Games and ever since then I played it once a year for a few years,” Krajewski said. “Then at the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016 is when I started training and I competed in my first tournament in June of 2016.

“Ever since then I have been competing and training,” he said.

The journey to the top of the world standings has covered several miles for Krajewski, whether was for training or competitions.

“The toughest part about it is with badminton not being a very popular sport in the U.S., is having to travel to go compete or even practice with someone,” he said.

In the early stages of his badminton career, Krajewski would travel from his home in Yankton for training in Lincoln, Neb.

“I started training in 2016 with Pallav Deka in Lincoln and the beginning of 2018 he moved to Sioux Falls, which was really nice,” Krajewski said. “I trained with him until the end of 2018. Unfortunately, he moved to Michigan, so we were scrambling to find a coach.

“Luckily we found Moss Lattison, who has been through highs and lows with me,” he said. “I am very thankful for him; he has been such an amazing coach.”

After graduating from high school in May, Krajewski headed to the Frisco Badminton Academy in Frisco, Texas, to begin training for the Paralympics.

“This summer I am down in Texas training full time at a badminton facility with coach Eabhishek Ahlawat, which I’m very thankful for him allowing me to stay down here and train with him,” he said.

Krajewski, who also played tennis for the Bucks during his high school career, enjoys the challenges that badminton provides.

“I think that I like playing it because it’s me against someone else and it’s the fastest game,” he said. “There is thinking to it, but not thinking. You have to think in a split second on where you want to play and where they’re at and all that. That’s what makes it fun to me.”

Krajewski, who is now 4-feet, 3-inches tall, won his first gold medal at the 2016 Pan Am Championships in 2016, which were held in Medellin, Columbia. He won the men’s singles and combined with Danh Trang of the United States to win the men’s doubles.

Since then, he has traveled all over the world, earning a total of seven gold medals, four silver medals and three bronze medals.

The most recent gold medals for Krajewski came at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile. He defeated Tavares to win the men’s singles and teamed with Jayci Simon of the United States to win the mixed doubles.

“At first it was intimidating, but after a few years it just started to come,” Krajewski said of competing on such a big stage. “Once I broke into the top 10 and started winning some matches, that’s when I felt I could play with everybody. I didn’t have an excuses not to play with them.”

Krajewski also won gold medals at the 2018 Pan Am Championship in Lima, Peru (men’s doubles) and 2022 in Cali, Columbia (men’s singles).

He also brought home golds from the 2017 USA Para Badminton International (men’s doubles); 2018 Australia Para Badminton International (men’s doubles); and 2018 Brazil Para Badminton International (men’s doubles).

"Thailand and Ireland probably are my top five places I’ve played,” Krajewski said. “Seeing the friends I’ve made over the years. Just talking with them and hanging out with them is the most enjoyable after playing.”

In addition to competing individually, Krajewski will team with Simon for the mixed doubles.

“I enjoy them pretty much the same,” he said of playing singles and doubles. “There are positives and negatives of playing both, but they are about the same and I love playing both of them.”

While his focus is competing in the Paralympics, Krajewski is also hoping to see some of the local attractions while in Paris.

“We fly in three or four days before the tournament. I’m hoping to go see the Eiffel Tower at night,” he said. “That will probably be the first night we arrive. After that I’m planning on just focusing on the tournament and taking those practice days to get myself prepared and hopefully bring home a medal.”

Following the Paralympics, Krajewski will return home to begin college at the University of South Dakota, where he will be looking to earn a degree in business administration.

Pool play for para badminton begins on Aug. 29, with the medal rounds slated for Sept. 1-2.

Select events will be broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo,CNBC and the Golf Channel.

All 22 events from the 2024 Paralympics are streamed on Peacock.