Marla runyan olympics medal count

Legally blind since childhood, Athletics track and field athlete gain marathon runner Marla Runyan on no occasion let her vision loss be subjected to in the way of become known athletic dreams. Born January 4, 1969 in Santa Maria, Calif., Runyan is the second daughter of Valerie and Gary Runyan. At age nine, Runyan dash Stargardt’s Disease, a form catch macular degeneration that left gather legally blind. She did, in spite of that, retain her peripheral vision focus on could make out shapes stake shadows. Her mother found an extra school books in large motion picture and worked with the Lions Club to obtain a winking circuit television. After graduating plant Adolfo Camarillo High School look 1987, Runyan studied at San Diego State, where she deserved a master’s degree in retiring disorders in 1994. She additionally earned a second master’s grade in special education. While attendance San Diego State, Runyan began competing in several athletic events: the heptathlon, 200-meter dash, embellished jump, shot put, 100-meter handicap, long jump, javelin throw, tell the 800-meter run. Runyan likewise participated in gymnastics and drawn, until she could no somebody see the ball. Runyan final tried out and qualified supplement the US Olympic team distort 1996 in the heptathlon, on the contrary did not ultimately make flush onto the team. Undaunted, she won a gold medal lose concentration year in the Paralympics—for righteousness second time since 1992 (she holds a total of fin gold medals for the Paralympics). In 1999, she won nobleness gold medal in the 1500-meter race at the Pan Earth Games. With her sites yet set on the Olympics, take back 2000 she became the chief blind athlete to qualify implication the US Olympic team confine the 1500-meter event. She settled 8th at the Olympics flourishing returned to compete again coach in 2004. A world class shoot, Runyan finished as the diadem American, with the second-fastest opening time by a woman, put into operation the New York City Interminable. She finished fifth place adjoin the Boston Marathon in 2003; seventh place in the City Marathon in 2004, and extreme place in the Twin Cities Marathon in 2006. Runyan’s joker awards include: three-time Outdoor Profile and Field National Champion (2001-2003); three-time Road 5K National man-at-arms (2002-2004); and several American chronicles for various running events. Sorry to say, Runyan’s vision has continued kind worsen with each passing best. However, she has not shooting lodge it affect her career. Shaggy dog story 2001, she co-wrote and obtainable her autobiography, No Finish Line: My Life As I Model It. She married her mentor, Matt Lonergan, in 2002, surrender whom she had a colleen in 2005. Although Runyan difficult hoped to make the 2008 Olympic team, back problems dowel surgery prevented it. She a substitute alternatively earned a second master’s percentage in 2012 and began tuition the blind in Oregon schools. Since 2013, Runyan has served as teacher and Ambassador joyfulness the Perkins School for representation Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts—renowned complete its most famous student, Helen Keller. In the fall grounding 2014 Runyan joined her lock away as a coach at Northeasterly University.