OCALA, FL (352today.com) – It was just another routine day for sprinter Jonathan Gore. He was six months out of college, working a summer job, when the unimaginable happened.
The able-bodied athlete ran track collegiately in the NCAA Division II at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. Every year after spring semester, he would turn his attention toward earning extra money.
“I would go to the Christian college to mow lawns,” said Gore. “It was a good way to stay in shape. I was mowing grass one day, and West Virginia is mountainous and hilly. I was going down a hill, and the mower started going out of control. I tried to jump off of it.”
What happened next would transform his life.
The mower severed his left heel.
He was 23.
When he went to the hospital, he had four questions for his mother.
Would he ever be able to walk again?
How much were they going remove of his leg?
He asked if he could have something to eat.
Lastly, he wanted to know if he would be able to get a blade and run in the Paralympics, even though he didn’t know anything about the Paralympics.
Ultimately, he would have his leg amputated from the knee down.
Gore went back to his alma mater, coaching and obtaining his Masters’ degree.
He continued to pursue his passion. He would find himself in familiar territory, competing again. However, this time, he was qualifying for events that would have him facing nationwide competition and eventually on the international stage.
Gore faced several challenges along the way. He lost touch with his coach. Despite not having the input of someone to correct him, he still qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic games.
Still, Gore knew he needed to make a change and met several athletes who gave their honest assessment. Then he encountered the individual whose guidance, teaching and questioning played a critical role in improving his performance.
Gore would finish 4th in the T64 classification 200-meter sprint and 7th in 100-meters in Tokyo.
He made the podium at the Para Pan American Games in 2023 in Santiago Chile in the 100-meters, taking home the bronze medal.
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But Gore still was not satisfied and 11 months ago, the 29-year-old made the decision to relocate to Ocala to train with coach Tony McCall.
“He was willing to keep it real with me, when he didn’t even know me in Tokyo,” said Gore. “I know he will keep it real with me in practice to make sure everything I do is executed to a tee because he was definitely a part of the reason why I ran how I did in Tokyo. He was willing to correct things that I didn’t know needed to be corrected.”
The weekend of July 18-21, 2024, Gore competed in the 100-meters and 200-meters, at the U.S. Paralympic Trials in Miramar, Florida, and qualified for the 2024 Paris Games. Tony McCall will accompany Gore to France.
“With him going with me, it’s definitely an advantage,” said Gore. “He knows what I need, and I’m actually starting to get comfortable with him coaching me. You have a familiar face that can help guide you through the races. It’s still a newer type of relationship, but he’s definitely a really good coach.”
The Paralympic Games are scheduled for August 28-September 8.