PERSON WHO WAS
SUCCESSFUL INSPITE OF DISABILITY
Marla Runyan
One of the women
representing the United States in the 1500 meter track event at the 2000
Olympics was Marla Runyan. The American
runner finished seventh in her preliminary heat and rose to sixth in the
semifinals to qualify for the finals.
During the final race, Marla lost track of the major competitors. She finished in eighth position, 3.20 seconds
behind the gold medal winner.
In 1996, Marla set
several track and field records at the Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Following that success, Marla wanted to
compete in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney -- even though she is legally
blind. The 31-year-old runner has been
diagnosed with Stargardt disease. This
is a condition that leaves her with a limited ability to see what is in front
of her. In Sydney, Marla became the
first legally blind athlete to compete in an Olympics.
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