Eight-time Paralympic medalist and doubleÌýamputee Blake Leeper aims to run in the 2020 Olympics, competing against athletes with two natural legs. His eligibility could hinge in part on findings by CU Â鶹ӰԺ researchers.Ìý


Alena and her team assist Blake Leeper adjust his protheticsLeeper,Ìýwho ranks fourth in the U.S. in the 400 meter run, traveled to campus Aug. 19 to meet with CU's Alena GrabowskiÌý(Kines’98; PhD’07), assistant professor of integrated physiology and director of the Applied Biomechanics Laboratory. Grabowski hasÌýworked with some of the world's most famous amputee-athletes, includingÌýformer South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius,Ìýin their attempts to prove they should be allowedÌýto compete alongsideÌýathletes with natural legs.

HerÌýcurrent challenge?ÌýProving whether or not the prosthetics give Leeper an unfair advantage.

During his visit to CU's Balch Fieldhouse, Grabowski and her team gatheredÌýdata they'll need to make the assessment. Their conclusions could influence whetherÌýsporting authorities deem Leeper eligible to participate in the 2019 World Championships andÌýthe 2020 OlympicÌýGames in Tokyo.

Leeper, 28, was born without the lower portion of his legs. At a race in Prague inÌýJune, he ran 400 metersÌýin 44.42 seconds, among the fastest times by any runnerÌýthis year.

Read more about Grabowski's work in the 2018 SummerÌýissue of the Coloradan.

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Photos by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado and Amanda Clark

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