Champion David Brown, a blind sprinter wears a U.S. Flag on his eyes, Jerome Avery is his guide
David Brown is a blind sprinter and Jerome Avery is his guide. You can read Avery’s lips throughout the race saying, “Go David!” Caleb Carr Tweeted.
David Brown wears a flag over his eyes as he is training and competing.
David Brown was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at 15 months old, resulting in Glaucoma and ultimately taking his sight by the age of 13. After moving to St. Louis from Kansas City to attend the Missouri School for the Blind, Brown took up wrestling and goalball before focusing on track. He first realized his dream of being a Paralympian after winning an essay contest to attend the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Since then, Brown earned a spot on the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team and has become the fastest totally blind athlete in the world, holding the world record and winning Paralympic gold alongside his sighted guide Jerome Avery. The pair currently trains at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Center in California….Team USA
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America’s athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S.
A federally chartered nonprofit corporation, the USOPC does not receive federal financial support (other than for select Paralympic military veteran programs) and is one of the only NOCs in the world that also manages Paralympic activities.
Approximately 82% of the USOPC’s budget has a direct impact on its mission of supporting athletes via a variety of programs for both athletes and their National Governing Bodies. In addition to performance grants and rewards, additional support is provided in the form of training facilities, sports medicine and science, coaching education, health insurance, promotional opportunities, education and career services, outfitting and travel, and safe sport and anti-doping programming. For more details, view our investment strategy.
Additionally, the USOPC oversees the process by which U.S. cities bid to host the Olympic/Paralympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games or the Pan/Parapan American Games, while also playing a supporting role in the bid processes for hosting a myriad of other international competitions. Further, the USOPC approves the U.S. trials sites and procedures for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games team selections.
The USA Team USA mission:
- We promote and protect athletes’ rights, safety and wellness.
- We champion the integrity of sport.
- We respect the important role of our member organizations and support their success.
- We set clear standards of organizational excellence and hold ourselves and all member organizations accountable.
- We engage as a trusted and influential leader to advance the global Olympic and Paralympic movements.
- We honor and celebrate the legacy of Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
CORE VALUES
And as we took steps to create an athletes-first culture, we defined a set of core values that would drive our mindset and behaviors. These values are not what we do – they are the way we do everything.
- Pursue Excellence
- Lead Courageously
- Serve Others
- Foster Belonging