Edmond athlete competes in Paralympics

UPDATE @ 1:30 P.M. 9/5/2024

According to the International Paralympic Committee website, Jeremy Campbell won gold in the men's discus throw in Paris on Thursday.

Campbell also set a Paralympic record for the F64 class with a throw of 61.14 meters, or just over 200 feet.

ORIGINAL STORY

EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) – Edmond discus thrower, Jeremy Campbell, will compete in the Paris Paralympics on Thursday. The four-time gold medalist and world title holder said this could be his final professional competition.

He said these days it has taken him a little longer to get warmed up

"I always took that short cut and now I think my body's saying you can't," said Campbell, while sharing a training session with News 4 before leaving for France.

He has long been dominant in the sport of paralympic discus throwing.

"I have the world record for my class which is almost about just under 220 feet," said Campbell.

Once motivated by success in the ring and in the gym, Campbell said his motivations have shifted as he sets out on what will likely be his final paralympic appearance.

"I know I've got my best throw in my still, that I could probably push 70 meters in the next four years. But I know that I've just been changing so much," said Campbell. "You sacrifice a lot to do it. And there's this feeling like I just want to go start my freaking life.”

The athlete was born with a deficiency in his fibula bone. Doctors amputated his right leg when he was one-year old.

"I took my first step with a prosthetic leg," said Campbell.

Despite his diagnosis, he excelled in sports as a kid. Campbell picked up the discus after coming to UCO for paralympic training. Since then he has gotten a degree and made his home in Edmond. A home decorated with several pieces of hardware from his wins over the years.

"We should all be very happy with the direction that paralympic sports is taking and where it is now. I've been involved with it for so long that to see where it's come, it's crazy," said Campbell. As he prepares to take the stage in Paris Thursday he has one more change to go out on top of the world.

"I really want to use it as a celebration to be able to look at it with family and friends as kind of just gratitude and be there with it,” said Campbell. “No matter how I perform that, no matter what, that's really my goal."