Former Jags running standout pursuing athletic dream
Former Windsor High School track and cross-country star Branden Walton is on pace to realize a lifelong dream – landing a spot on the United States Paralympics team.
This summer Walton took a major step toward that end, earning a place on the US Junior World Championship track & field squad. The 2016 WHS graduate is currently in training at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, running under the watchful eye of renowned US Paralympic track coach Joaquim Cruz.
Walton was recently named as one of 20 athletes to represent the United States in the Junior Paralympics World Championships in Switzerland this August.
Diagnosed with Macular Degeneration at the age of four, Walton’s vision is in the range of 20/200-20/400. The affliction has only served to fuel a desire to compete, whether on the high school circuit or against similarly afflicted athletes. For the past several years he’s risen through the national ranks to become one of the top runners competing in the T-13 classification.
Since the age of 14, Walton has competed in distances ranging from 100 to 1,500 meters, shattering age group records in several events on the national stage.
Last summer, he narrowly missed landing a spot on the 2016 US Paralympics team, finishing third overall among athletes in the T-13 classification.
“Not making it onto the US Paralympics team was one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through,” Walton said. “Now I’ve decided to train full time, emphasizing the events I have the best chance of qualifying for in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, and the best chance of winning in Paralympic competitions leading up to that ultimate goal.”
Anyone wishing to help Walton offset the cost of travel and training can contact Mike Walton at mw*****@so***.net or by phone at 707-291-9669.
