MIRAMAR, Fla. (AP) — Roderick Townsend stands out at the U.S. Paralympic Track and Field trials, and it’s not just the purple singlet, white cleats and blonde hair. He’s trying to get back to a third Paralympics, having already won gold in the high jump (twice) and the long jump (once).
There’s also this: His wife, Tynita, is a former Olympic high jumper and the two harbor ambitions of competing together.
With a clap and a “woo,” Townsend got the crowd going for each of his six attempts at the long jump Friday, topping out at 6.81 meters (22 feet, 4.1 inches) and finishing second in his classification. Claudius Fawehinmi won the event with a jump of 22-8.
“The people are awesome,” the 32-year-old Boise State graduate said. “Everybody has a journey, you know, and it’s, it’s just so encouraging.”
Townsend, from Stockton, California, who has an upper right shoulder impairment after sustaining nerve damage at birth — his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck — competes in his top event, the high jump, on Saturday.
He won gold at both Rio and Tokyo, where he set a Paralympic world record by clearing just over 7 feet (2.15 meters). He also has gold and silver medals from Rio and Tokyo, respectively, in the long jump.
The trials, which are being held between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, run through Saturday. Nations can each have 40 roster spots for men and 33 for women in track and field.
Winning a medal is “always the main goal,” Townsend said. “In order to do that, I gotta make sure that I’m going through the processes right. Focus is always for me, especially right now, move the arms, be quick.”
Among those cheering Townsend on was his wife, who can relate to competing at a high level as she made the U.S. team for the 2020 Olympics in the high jump.
With Tynita getting first-hand access to Roderick’s training and competition, she said she’s “inspired at everything” her husband does.
“He was not meant to be here,” she said. “As a child, he was not meant to live this long.”
The couple met in 2016 after connecting on Instagram. Since then, Tynita gave birth to a child, Rodney Townsend, forcing her to take a break from competition. Still, Tynita plans on getting back in 2025 when Tokyo hosts the track and field world championships.
Tynita added that Roderick “enjoys being a mentor.” He’s able to display that side of his passion as he currently coaches para-athlete Ezra Frech, and has experience coaching at both Louisville and Northern Arizona.
Team USA para-athlete Nick Mayhugh is primarily a sprinter but has also competed alongside Townsend in the long jump and said he tries to be a sponge when the athlete-coach is around.
“When I ask him a question,” Mayhugh said, “you can tell that he’s been a coach.”
Mayhugh watched Townsend compete in Tokyo, sparking a friendship that aided Mayhugh in a 6.19-meter long jump on Friday.
Townsend’s jump coach, Jeff Petersmeyer, was at the track Friday, too, constantly reminding Townsend to move his arms and be quick.
“He’s like a little brother to me,” said Petersmeyer, the current assistant coach for jumps and multi-events at USC. “He just exemplifies what it means to go out there and train and work hard.”
Townsend said he’s “most excited” about his wife’s training and return to competition. He even hopes to see them each competing at major able-bodied meets together.
“That’d be amazing,” Roderick said. “It’s something that we’re dreaming for and hoping for right now.”
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Avery Hill is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
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