Kortney Clemons
While serving in the U.S. Army as a combat medic in Iraq, Kortney Clemons and three other service members were helping soldiers in an overturned vehicle when enemy forces detonated an explosive device. The explosion killed the other three service members, but Clemons' life was spared. As a result of the blast, he lost his right leg above-the-knee.
Clemons was introduced to Paralympic sport through a Learn to Run Clinic held by U.S. Paralympics at Brooke Army Medical Center in 2005. After attending the clinic, Clemons went on to participate in a USOC Paralympic Military Sports Camp and has been training in track & field ever since.
A natural athlete in high school in Little Rock, Miss., Clemons played football, basketball and baseball, and he played football at East Mississippi Community College before joining the Army and becoming a combat medic.
Clemons is a recent graduate of Penn State University. He trains fulltime at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. as part of the Paralympic Resident Track & Field Program.
Major Achievements:
- 2008: First place, 100m (T42) - U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, Tempe, Ariz.
2007: Member of the 2007 U.S. Paralympics Parapan American Powerlifting Team - Parapan American Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2007: First place, All Comers 100m - U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships, Atlanta, Ga.
2006: 13th place, 75 kg division - IPC Powerlifting World Championships, Busan, Korea
2006: First place, All Comers 100m - U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships, Atlanta, Ga.
