Noah Malone, one of the young and charismatic stars of the US Paralympic athletics team, attributes his success to his mother's relentless encouragement, confessing, 'I didn't even like (the sport) at first.' After securing the T12 400 metres silver medal on Thursday amidst heavy rain at the Stade de France, Malone, beaming with joy, immediately ran to his family—which includes his mother LaTasha Sturdivant and six others in Paris. The 22-year-old had already clinched gold in the 100m, which was later upgraded from silver after the Turkish winner was disqualified, and was poised to potentially add a third medal in the 4x100m relay.
Malone, who was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), a rare genetic disorder causing central vision loss, at the age of 13, had previously won relay gold and 100m silver at the Tokyo Games three years ago. Growing up in Indiana, his mother noticed his speed while running around the garden and, despite his greater interest in basketball, enrolled him in a track and field club. 'Yeah, back in fourth grade,' Malone recalled, adding that he had also found time to write a book, 'Losing Vision Not Dreams', about his teenage years. 'She was the one who got me into track. I didn't even like it at first, but she kept pushing me towards my goals.'
Malone expressed immense satisfaction at having his closest family present in the stadium, unlike in Tokyo due to Covid restrictions. He emphasized their crucial role in his journey to stardom, stating, 'That's why I went straight to them after the race.' Finishing second to Mouncef Bouja of Morocco in a time of 49.35sec, Malone said, 'I didn't want to see anyone else, so I went straight to them. They were huge supporters.' He recounted how, during stressful times, they would go out to dinner, and this was the first major competition where he had everyone present. 'They helped me. They're like the real winners in my eyes. I'm just here. They're the ones who really got me here.'
Despite his enduring passion for basketball, Malone admitted that being part of a team made him less anxious about the upcoming relay. He described the individual events as 'just really, really, really hard,' adding, 'I'm just relieved that it's over... Now it's a team aspect. I don't really get as nervous because it's a team. But when I'm out there fighting by myself, the nerves heighten.'
Malone, along with teammates Ezra Frech, 19, who won gold in the 100m and high jump, and 20-year-old Jaydin Blackwell, who won gold in the 100m and 400m, promise a bright future for the USA, especially with the next Paralympics set to take place in Los Angeles. 'Jaydin, Ezra, myself. There's a lot,' Malone said. 'I think it's a young team. I think Team USA is really doing well with the medal count, with the people who are getting the medals, really talented.'
Malone said he 'can walk away with my head held high' but acknowledged that competing in three events left him little time to breathe. 'It was a rollercoaster ride,' he said. 'A lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of exciting and stressful moments. When you're at the Games and you have six total races, there's not really many moments to just enjoy the moment. Because you're always looking to the next one.' However, he considered himself fortunate, adding, 'At the same time, you've got to enjoy it. Not everybody can be here. This only happens every four years (and) not everyone medals. So it is a win.'
