Jacob Meister, a 17-year-old junior at Bradford High in Pennsylvania who has cerebral palsy and autism, has been a huge supporter of his school's wrestling team. So, when he got the chance to take to the mat himself, it was a dream come true. His match, which came against teammate Dillon Keane, was the grand finale on Jan. 3 and [...]
Eli Bouchard, 10, took the snowboarding world by storm two years ago when he became the youngest person to ever land a double backflip. Unsurprisingly, the French Canadian boy from Quebec City has continued to step up his game on snow. In April, he became the youngest to land a Frontside 1080 Double Cork, which involves both lateral and vertical rotations, [...]
When young girls in Syria look at Maha Jannoud, they see a pioneer they can emulate. That's because the 32-year-old is coaching al-Muhafaza, a men's soccer club based in Damascus. She believes she's the first woman to ever coach a men's professional team in the Middle East. And, it's her perspective on the role of a coach that helped land [...]
Lucas Barron is currently in Peru blazing 3,000 miles worth of new trail. The 25-year-old is the first person with Down syndrome to compete in the Dakar Rally, an arduous 10-day race across the South American country that covers 3,000 miles, with most of the driving done on sand in off-road four-wheel drive buggies. Lucas is serving as the co-pilot [...]
Most 70 year olds celebrate their birthdays with friends, family and cake. Larry Erlandson did that too, but not before running 70 miles in one day to raise money for Special Olympics Michigan Area 12. The almost 70-year-old from Holland, Michigan decided to ring in a new decade a few months early by encouraging his community to run 10 seven-mile [...]
Running and cystic fibrosis certainly aren't "supposed" to pair together. After all, the progressive, genetic disease that leads to persistent lung infections and breathing problems over time causes major problems for those afflicted. Running with the condition? It's nearly out of the question for most. However, not Michael Waltrip, a 24-year-old PhD student at George Mason University. Waltrip, who ran [...]
Shirley Webb may be 81 years old, but she trains like a beast in order to stay strong and healthy. The grandmother who lives just outside of St. Louis, in East Alton, Illinois, can deadlift 253 pounds, and has six American records and 26 Illinois State records to her name. Her strength is impressive, but more remarkable than that is [...]
Athletes like Tom Brady, LeBron James and Aaron Judge normally grab the headlines, but when it comes to the inspiring stories in sports, there are people like Carlos Arredondo, the hero in the white cowboy hat at the 2013 Boston Marathon, who decided to run this year's race. There's also Chelsea Werner, a champion gymnast turned fashion model, who has [...]
A true athlete is defined by more than just wins, losses and crossing finish lines. Gracie Lindaman, an 11-year-old from Iowa, has learned that lesson early in life. A triathlete for the last four years, Gracie created national headlines when she made a trip to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston over the summer to give patients her triathlon and [...]
Chelsea Werner, a 26-year-old woman from Danville, Calif. with Down syndrome, realizes that life is all about balance. It's something the former champion gymnast learned away from the balance beam. Werner, who still competes in gymnastics around the world, is also a model. She signed with We Speak, a New York-based agency that aims to create a positive change in fashion [...]