Blake Leeper

Church Hill, Tenn.

Paralympic Athlete

Born without legs and feet, Blake Leeper was fitted for his first prostheses as an infant. At the age of 5, he joined the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport in Tennessee. Attending the Club enabled him to develop his athletic skills and to understand that education always comes first. In 2012, Blake won silver and bronze at the London Paralympic Games. In 2016, he hopes to be the first American to compete in both the Paralympic and the Olympic Summer Games. Going forward, Blake plans to finish his bachelor’s degree in applied physics, and then study medicine.