Paralympic superstar sprinter, Jarryd Wallace, will chase more world championships and records wearing the “Winged A” of Atlanta Track Club. Wallace has signed a multi-year agreement to become the first Paralympic athlete to compete on the Club’s elite team and for Mizuno USA, the official footwear and apparel partner of Atlanta Track Club.
Wallace, a four-time world record-holder, three-time world champion and two-time Paralympian will represent the United States at the 2019 Para Athletics World Championships in Dubai this November where he will compete in the 100m and 200m in the T-44 category for below the knee amputees. He is expected to be a medal contender at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
“The one thing I truly missed through my injury was getting to compete at the collegiate level on a team,“ said Wallace. “So to have this opportunity to be part of Atlanta Track Club as a professional athlete is a dream come true.”
Photos Courtesy of Growl.
A native of Athens, Georgia, Wallace was a state champion middle distance runner at Oconee High School. He was preparing to attend the University of Georgia on a track and field scholarship when he developed a severe case of compartment syndrome, a buildup of pressure inside the muscles of his right leg. Complications from the surgery to relieve the pressure ultimately led Wallace to elect to have the leg amputated in 2010 at the age of 20. One year to the day after the surgery, Wallace competed in his first meet with a custom running blade. He won the 100m and 200m and qualified for the U.S. National Championships. The amazing journey Wallace has been on to reach where he is today is profiled in the October issue of Wingfoot, Atlanta Track Club’s magazine.
“Jarryd is an inspiration to all he meets, not just fellow amputee athletes,” said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club’s Executive Director. “We are proud to have Jarryd on Atlanta Track Club’s team, wearing the colors as he competes and shares his story around the world.”
“At Mizuno our brand slogan is REACH BEYOND,” said Chuck Couch, VP of Mizuno USA, Running. “There are few if any better examples of this attitude than Jarryd. We at Mizuno feel such a jolt of inspiration from being a small part of Jarryd’s success and are excited to join him on his journey.”
Off the track, Wallace has teamed up with Japanese prosthetic manufacturer XiBorg to create the world’s fastest running blade. He is also lending his talent and expertise to the company in an effort to create blade libraries in cities around the world, where amputees can rent specialized running blades at an affordable cost.
Wallace will continue to train in Athens under the guidance of Althea Thomas, UGA’s sprint, hurdles and relays coach. He lives in Watkinsville, Georgia with his wife Lea. The couple is expecting a son in October.
Published September 2019