Competitor - August 2017

Quadriplegic

Athlete

Takes on His

First Half

Marathon

Presented by

ADVERTORIAL

To see the inspiring finish of James Sa’s story,

visit Competitor.com/toyotafirsthalf

On June 4, 2017, James Sa took his place at the starting line of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San

Diego Half Marathon. He took a deep breath and started to tame the butterflies. James

isn’t unfamiliar to a race environment, but this would be his first half marathon. His

previous race was in 2011, and resulted in an accident that left him a quadriplegic.

During the 2011 race, an obstacle event in Michigan, James sustained an injury

that changed his life forever. James was knocked unconscious as a result of a dive

into a mud obstacle towards the end of the race. Face down, several waves of

contestants trampled over his limp body before he was finally rescued. James was

resuscitated on site before being transported to the hospital, where he endured

multiple surgeries over the next few months. When he was finally released from

the hospital, the 21-year-old college student was paralyzed from the neck down.

Most people would give up right there, thinking their story was over. James

certainly went down that path in the months after his accident, but he eventually

found his will to push through and discover new opportunities, including wheel-

chair rugby and wheelchair racing. A grant from Toyota and Challenged Athletes

Foundation (CAF) supported James as he strove to reach his new potential. With

advanced wheelchair technology and the support of other athletes with physical

challenges, James discovered a new kind of mobility, and with it, a reclaimed

identity as an athlete.

Six years later, it was time to finish the race. Lining up at the starting line of the

Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon was more than just a race for James – it was

a statement. He was strong and resilient, no matter what life threw at him. This race

would mark his comeback from the challenges he had faced in the last six years.

But race day was a challenge in and of itself – just a mile from the finish line,

James crashed.

“You okay?” The course marshal asked as he returned the wheelchair to an

upright position. “Yeah, let’s go,” James said with a determined nod. One of the

wheels on his wheelchair was misaligned and his shoulders were scraped and

bleeding from the crash, but he brushed away the road debris on his skin and

pushed his wheelchair toward the finish line.

One hour and 34 minutes after the starting gun and almost six years after the

accident, James Sa finally crossed his finish line.

What’s next for the 27-year-old athlete? The sky is the limit. Sa continues to train

in a variety of sports, including road racing and wheelchair rugby. He mentors

other wheelchair athletes as well, using his story as a reminder to focus on strength

and ability, not disability. Because he crossed that finish line, he knows anything is

possible – and he’s set out to prove it.

Toyota_advertorial_James.indd 1 6/29/17 12:22 PM