Jerome Singleton
If people have been blessed with the capabilities of reaching heights unfathomed and do not, they are not only committing a disservice to themselves but also their communities.
About Jerome Singleton
Born without a fibula in his right leg, Jerome Singleton was only 18 months old when doctors amputated his leg below the knee. Yet throughout his life, the resilience, dedication and talents of this young and unpretentious American have shined evermore brightly.
Recently, Singleton found himself firmly in the spotlight when he beat reigning champion Oscar Pistorius (South Africa) to win Gold in the Men's 100m(T44) at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand.
Fast facts
| Nationality | USA |
|---|---|
| Amputation | Below the Knee |
| Competitive Class | T44 |
| Main Events | 100m, 200m, 4x10m |
Competitive highlights
| Year | Highlights |
|---|---|
| 2012 |
Paralympic Games, London, UK US Paralympic Chamionship Trials |
| 2011 |
IPC Athletics World Championships, New Zealand |
| 2008 |
Paralympics Beijing, China Boiling Point Classic Windsor, Canada US Olympic Trials National Championship Visa Paralympic World Cup Manchester, England Mt. Sacs Relay |
Q & A
Who has been the biggest supporter in your career?
"My family. They have instilled in me a mindset to succeed in all aspects of life."
Who first got you interested in your sport and who influenced you to take up a competitive sport?
"My sister was the first person to get me interested in track and field. She was a successful hurdler in high school and I wanted to follow in her footsteps."
What has been your best career highlight so far?
"This may come as a surprise but winning a silver medal in the 100m at 2008 Beijing Paralympics. It was truly a blessing and it gave me the confidence that I can compete and be successful with the best that amputee sprinting has to offer."
Who has been your toughest opponent and why?
"Oscar Pistorius. He reminds me of a best friend that you just want to beat and he is essentially a living legend. Honestly, I’m blessed that we are competing in the same era because I believe we will force to take amputee sprinting to a level never imagined."
What is your ultimate sporting ambition?
"I want to run soo fast that I scare myself, lol. Personally, I would like to play a role in the expansion of the Paralympic Movement and live up to the expectations of all the Champions who have come before me."
Who in your opinion is the greatest athlete ever? / Do you have an idol for your sport?
"Jim Brown. I can’t say I have an idol in my sport but I do enjoy watching athletics."
What are your favorite Össur products and why?
"Flex-Foot Cheetah and the Vari-Flex with EVO. I enjoy these products because they allow me to live a very functional life and give me the opportunity to compete in sports at a high level."
What specific support has Össur provided for you, technical or otherwise?
"Össur provides me with the feet I need to compete at a high level and go through my every day activities. Ossur has also given me access to Francois van der Watts as a prosthetist that has played a role in making me the sprinter I am today. "
How has Össur contributed to your success?
"I have run my fastest times on Össur feet. Another benefit I have found is that I have not been able to break them thus far, but have put in a few cracks. Though, overall the support Ossur has given through products and funding to help pursue my athletic career has meant a lot tot me over the years."
Do you have an inspirational quote or motto that you use?
"If people have been blessed with the capabilities of reaching heights unfathomed and do not. They are not only committing a disservice to themselves but also their communities."
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
"You never want to meet the person you could have been, so never settle for mediocrity."
Do you have any pre-event superstitions?
"Not really. I just enjoy competing."
Who would play you in a film of your life?
"Not sure on this one. Most of my favourite actors are getting a little old."
What is on your iPod when you are training?
"I have a little of everything. Some gospel, rap, and r&b."
Tell us something we'd be surprised to know about you?
"I learned how to play the piano by watching youtube."
What is the worst part of your training regime?
"I actually enjoy training but if I had to nail something down it would be saturday morning workouts."
If you weren't an athlete what would you be doing?
"I would be an Industrial Engineer, Math teacher, motivational speaker, or Ph.D candidate. Though, the sky is the limit I may do some of these going into Rio 2016, lol."
What do you like doing outside of your sport?
"Reading, playing the piano, and spending time with friends and family."
When you have time to see your friends, what do you like to do?
"Talk about high school days, play video games, and eating out."
Biography
Born without a fibula in his right leg, Jerome Singleton was only 18 months old when doctors amputated his leg below the knee. Yet throughout his life, the resilience, dedication and talents of this young and unpretentious American have shined evermore brightly.
A rising star
Graduating in 2004 from Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina, Singleton was already ranked one of the State’s top 100 senior football prospects. He later studied at Morehouse College, where he double majored in Mathematics and Applied Physics, transferring to the University of Michigan to complete his dual degree with Morehouse and add an industrial engineering degree to his name. Internships with NASA and CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Physics in Geneva, Switzerland) have formed part of his stellar research work to date.
Paralympic champion
In 2007, just two days after his return from CERN in Switzerland, Singleton competed at the US Paralympic National Athletics Championships in Atlanta, securing a place on the US Paralympic team. Following impressive performances at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he began to build an international reputation at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, where he won a Silver medal in the 100m(T44) and helped the US secure Gold in the 4x100m relay. More recently, Singleton found himself firmly in the spotlight when he beat reigning champion Oscar Pistorius (South Africa) to win Gold in the Men's 100m(T44) at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand.
Now that he has completed his academic pursuits, this highly accomplished athlete continues to have one thing on his mind: change the perception of the term ‘disabled’ one person at a time.
"If a person has been blessed with the capabilities to reach heights unfathomed, and does not, they are committing a disservice to themselves as well as their community."
With the sentiments of this quote at the very heart of his ambitions, Singleton is keen to help motivate others. "I am grateful that I have been blessed in aspects of my life and hope through my actions I can inspire others to push themselves to greater heights. I may not have a foot, but I do have a desire to succeed and help as many people as I can in the process."