Roderick Townsend-Roberts

Roderick Townsend-Roberts (born July 1, 1992) is an American Paralympic athlete. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics he set a high jump world record (2.15 m) and won gold in high jump, silver in long jump.[2][3][4]

Roderick Townsend-Roberts
Townsend-Roberts at the 2015 Parapan American Games
Personal information
Born (1992-07-01) July 1, 1992 (age 32)
Stockton, California, U.S.[1]
Height6 ft 7 in (201 cm)[1]
Weight210 lb (95 kg)
Sport
SportParalympic athletics
Disability classT46/47/F46/47
Event(s)Sprint, long jump, high jump, triple jump
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Long jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris High jump T47
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Long jump T47
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Doha High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2017 London High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2019 Dubai High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2023 Paris High jump T47
Gold medal – first place 2024 Kobe High jump T47
Silver medal – second place 2015 Doha Long jump T47
Silver medal – second place 2015 Doha Triple jump T47
Silver medal – second place 2015 Doha 4×100 m T42-47
Silver medal – second place 2023 Paris Long jump T47
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto High jump T42/44/47
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto Long jump T47

Career

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He won the long jump and high jump events at the 2016 Rio Paralympics[5] and 2015 Parapan American Games. In 2015 he set two world records (2.07 and 2.12 m) and won the world title in the high jump in his disability class.[6] Townsend-Roberts cleared 2.14 m (7 ft 14 in) at the 2019 Mt. SAC Relays to take his world record over 7 feet.[7]

Townsend-Roberts sustained permanent nerve damage to his right arm and shoulder at birth.[8] He played football for two years at Lincoln High School in Stockton, California, and served as the team captain in 2009. He has a degree in communications from Boise State University and used to work as an athletics coach at Northern Arizona University. He currently lives in Kentucky with his wife Tynita Butts.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Roderick Townsend". teamusa.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "RODERICK TOWNSEND SETS ANOTHER WORLD RECORD WHILE DANIEL ROMANCHUCK GRABS GOLD". teamusa.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  3. ^ "RODERICK TOWNSEND JUMPS TO A NEW PERSONAL BEST AND LANDS THE SILVER IN MEN'S LONG JUMP". teamusa.com. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  4. ^ "Roderick Townsend sets high jump WORLD RECORD en route to Paralympic gold". youtube.com. NBC Sports. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  5. ^ "Roderick Townsend-Roberts". rio2016.com. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  6. ^ "Roderick Townsend-Roberts". toronto2015.org. 2015 Parapan American Games. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "2019 Mt. SAC Relays results". TFRRS. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  8. ^ "5 Facts: USA's Roderick Townsend-Roberts". Paralympic.org. July 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
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  Media related to Roderick Townsend-Roberts at Wikimedia Commons