Paralympic hopeful excited for USA Team Trials on ‘Home Track’

CHARLOTTE, NC (WCCB Charlotte) — Paul Peterson gets butterflies by just walking onto the track at Johnson C. Smith University.

“It’s really going to happen here.”

Peterson’s training ground, or as he refers to it, ‘my backyard’, is where the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will happen for track and field from June 30- July 2nd. Peterson will try to be one of three sprinters to represent the red, white and blue in the 100-meter run.

“I feel very comfortable there, training there everyday it comes down to putting the perfect race together,” Peterson said.

Last time Peterson was in the spotlight was June of 2015 when the story of his prosthetic leg being stolen went viral. It happened just days before the 2015 Paralympic US Track and Field Championships. The community rallied and raised money so Peterson could get his leg replaced in time for the meet.

He came home with a silver medal.

“That was another life-changing experience about how people can come together and help out,” Peterson said. “I really needed help.”

Peterson lost his leg in a motorcycle accident when he was a teenager. His path now is one that’s knocking on the door of a paralympic dream.

“I thought my life was over. When I see that doctor come in with that prosthetic leg and say hey man, ‘you are going to be able to walk, be able to run’. You are still going to be able to do things. It’s not going to be easy. But I can do it,” Peterson said.

Peterson has a goal of running the 100-meters in under 11-seconds. Only three other amputee athletes have done that on record. Peterson’s fastest official time is 11.43-seconds.