Reported by Corderro McMurry
Produced by Erik Sather and Corderro McMurry
NAU-TV
Meet Roderick Townsend, the jumps coach for Northern Arizona University Track and Field, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and world championship and finalist for a 2017 ESPY Award. Townsend’s brachial plexus nerve is damaged, making his right arm significantly weaker than his left—a condition that hasn’t stopped him from dominating competitions. He was nominated last year for best male athlete with a disability after winning gold medals in high jump and long jump at 2016 Rio Paralympics and gold in high jump at 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.
Learn more about Townsend’s goals for upcoming competitions, including the 2020 Olympics, and his description of the Paralympics and the world-class athletes with which he competes.