Ezra Frech
Ezra Frech (born 11 May 2005) is an American Paralympic athlete who competes in high jump, long jump and sprinting events in international level events. He is a double silver Parapan American Games medalist and is also a motivational speaker and disability rights advocate.[1]
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Born | Los Angeles, California, United States | 11 May 2005||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 130 lb (59 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Paralympic athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disability class | T63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Personal life
Frech is the eldest of three sons of Bahar Soomekh who is an actress in Saw III, Mission: Impossible III and Crash. He was born without most of his left leg (missing a knee and fibula) and missing fingers on his left hand. When he was two years old, he had surgery to remove his lower left leg and transplanted a toe from his amputated foot onto his left hand at Boston Children's Hospital. He received a prosthetic leg when he was eleven months old.[2][3]
He was a 2014 finalist for Sports Illustrated Sportkid of the Year.
Motivational speaker
Frech founded his non-profit organisation "Team Ezra" where it funds support for those who have physical disabilities. He has spoken to schools from the age of four to raise awareness for people with impairments as part of his organisation's project. [4]
Sporting career
Frech was a very sporty person when he was very young, he played basketball, baseball, soccer and karate then in 2013, he took part in track and field athletics. His first athletics meet was the Endeavor Games in Edmund, Oklahoma which was set up by Angel City Sports, a programme for people who have physical and visual impairments.[5] His first international meet was at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships where he won one gold and two bronze medals, he participated in his second international meet at the 2019 Parapan American Games where he won two silver medals, he also took part in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai but did not medal.[6][7]
References
- "Ezra Frech - IPC Athlete Bio". ipc.infostradasports.com. 28 May 2020.
- "Ezra Frech". Challenged Athletes Foundation. 28 May 2020.
- "The Inspirational Story of 9-Year-Old Ezra Frech". Seeker. 7 May 2015.
- "Team Ezra - My Story". Team Ezra. 28 May 2020.
- "Lima 2019: Ezra Frech never alone". International Paralympic Committee. 14 August 2019.
- "Ezra Frech - Team USA". United States Olympic Committee. 28 May 2020.
- "Ezra Frech '23 Brings Home Two Silver Medals From Peru". http://angelcitysports.org/newsmedia/2019/10/3/ezra-frech-23-brings-home-two-silver-medals-from-peru. 3 October 2019. External link in
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