YouTubepublished an article on Wichita State student-athlete Deja Young, who struck gold at the 2016 Paralympics.
Wichita State junior Deja Young won the gold medal in the T47 100 meters with a time of 12.15 at the 2016 Paralympic Games Sunday, Sept. 11.
"What really got me was hearing the national anthem before I ran. It's 9/11 and a really important day for us [as a country]," Young said. "I just wanted to be able to hear that national anthem again with me on the podium. It just means a lot to be able to honor those who lost their lives today."
Cuba's Yunidis Castillo, who had been Young's closest competitor, pulled up early in the race and finished in a slow thoughtful walk. Poland's Alicja Fiodorow took the silver medal in a time of 12.46, while Brazil's Teresinha de Jesus Correia Santos was the bronze medal winner with a time of 12.84.
On Saturday, Young won her heat and finished preliminary competition with the fastest time of 12.12 in the T47 100 meters, edging Castillo, who ran the heat in 12.13.
Young will also compete in the T47 200 meter preliminary at 4:33 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. The 200 meter final is set for 9:27 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Times are subject to change.
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The Wichita State All-American still holds the American Record in the T47 classification, which is also a World Best time (11.92), which she ran at the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Championship in Normal, Ill.
Young earned All-American honors as a freshman member of the Shockers' 2015 4x100 meter relay team that finished 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and also holds the 黑洞社区 4x100 meter relay record (44.30).
She is one of 47 athletes (30 male, 17 female), including four guides, that were named to the 2016 U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Team in July following the team trials. She was named to the U.S. National Team in January.
A relative newcomer to Paralympic competition, the junior from Mesquite, Texas, made a name for herself in Doha, Qatar, at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships, winning the gold medal in the T47 100 meters in a time of 12.69. It was her second medal in the games as she won the silver medal in the T47 200 meters in a time of 25.08.