Chaz Davis competed in the Paralympics in 2016 and, just this week, completed the Boston Marathon in 2:46:52, winning the T11/T12 para athletics division, for runners with vision impairment. When he began to lose his vision in 2013, due to Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, Davis “also worried about losing his identity. But running helped him regain it – and so much more.” Prior to his vision loss, he was a runner. Initially, as he learned to manage his eye condition, his running life was curtailed. He adapted, however, using his treadmill to regain his skills and confidence. Davis’ personal triumph at the Boston Marathon also marked the first time that prize money was awarded to the top para athlete competitors in three divisions: vision impairment, lower-limb impairment, and upper-limb impairment. Read more about Davis’ story and accomplishments in Runner’s World: Blind Paralympian Gears Up for Boston’s First Competitive Para Athletics Division. For coverage of the Marathon results, check out Grafton’s Chaz Davis Becomes First Boston Marathon Para Athlete Winner.
