Daniel Romanchuk
Near the half-way mark of Romanchuk's 2019 Boston Marathon victory
Personal information
Born (1998-08-03) 3 August 1998
Mount Airy, Maryland, USA
Years active2012–present
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Sport
DisabilitySpina bifida
Coached byAdam Bleakney
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals2016
Medal record
Paralympic athletics
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 400 m T54
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Marathon T54
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2019 Dubai800m T54
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place2015 Toronto5000m T54

Daniel Romanchuk (born 3 August 1998) is an American Paralympic athlete who competes primarily in wheelchair racing events. He won the Chicago Marathon on October 7, 2018; just under a month later, he became the first American to win the men's wheelchair race at the New York City Marathon, as well as the youngest winner in the history of the wheelchair event in New York.[1]

Romanchuk followed up these wins with a win at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2019. He became the first American man to win Boston's wheelchair division since 1993.[2] With his victory at the London Marathon in April 2019, Romanchuk also won the World Para Athletics Marathon Championships title.

Early life

Romanchuk was born in Mount Airy, Maryland with spina bifida, a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. When he was 2, his parents enrolled him in an adaptive sports program linked to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in nearby Baltimore. He participated in his first track meet at age 6, but also took part in other sports, including archery, sled hockey, and softball. In track events, he set age-group records and took part in national competitions at an early age.[3]

Paralympics

In the winter of 2014, Romanchuk's mother Kim encouraged him to focus more on track in an effort to make the 2016 Paralympic team. He made the team at age 18, and competed in every track event in Rio, from the 100m to the 5000m.[3]

In 2021, he won the gold medal in the men's 400 metres T54 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan.[4] He also won the bronze medal in the men's marathon T54 event.

Marathon racing

Romanchuk entered and finished the Baltimore Marathon, his first, at the age of 14.[5] In April 2018, he placed 3rd in the London Marathon.[6]

In October 2018, Romanchuk won the Chicago Marathon with a time of 1:31:34; he beat defending champion Marcel Hug by one second.[7] Less than a month later, he became the first American winner and youngest winner in the history of the New York Marathon's wheelchair event, again defeating Hug (who had won in 2016 and 2017), and again by just one second.[6][8]

In 2019, Romanchuk won the Boston Marathon in 1:21:36. He became the youngest ever winner of that race, as well as the first American to win Boston since 1993.[9] In April 2019, he won the London Marathon with a time of 1:33:38.[10] In 2019 he also won the Chicago Marathon and he qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan. He won the bronze medal in the men's marathon T54 event.[11][12]

In October 2022, Romanchuk placed second in the 2022 London Marathon, with a time of 1:24:40, two seconds behind Hug.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Mount Airy's Daniel Romanchuk follows Chicago Marathon wheelchair victory with New York City title". The Baltimore Sun. November 4, 2018. Archived from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  2. ↑ Pepin, Matt; Bowers, Rachel G. (April 15, 2019). "Daniel Romanchuk, Manuela Schaer win Boston Marathon wheelchair divisions". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Kuzma, Cindy (February 21, 2019). "All Roads Lead to Romanchuk". Runner's World. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ Berkeley, Geoff (August 29, 2021). "Kashafali reflects on journey from refugee to fastest man in Paralympic history". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Daniel Romanchuk". Disabled Sports USA. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  6. 1 2 McCarvel, Nick (November 4, 2018). "Daniel Romanchuk, Just 20, Becomes First U.S. Man to Capture New York City Marathon Wheelchair Crown". Team USA. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Shannon; Thompson, Phil; Greene, Morgan (October 7, 2018). "Britain's Mo Farah and Kenya's Brigid Kosgei win 2018 Chicago Marathon". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Daniel Romanchuk, Just 20, Becomes First U.S. Man to Capture New York City Marathon Wheelchair Crown". WABC. November 5, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  9. ↑ Sgobba, Christa (April 15, 2019). "Daniel Romanchuk Is Youngest Man Ever to Win Wheelchair Division at Boston". Runner's World. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Mount Airy's Daniel Romanchuk secures world title with men's wheelchair victory at London Marathon". The Baltimore Sun. April 28, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  11. ↑ Houston, Michael (September 5, 2021). "De Rozario takes women's marathon title in thrilling finish on final day of Paralympics". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Glory for Michishita, golden sweep for Hug at Tokyo in marathon". Paralympic.org. September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ "2022 London Marathon Results". NBC Sports. October 2, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
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