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Para Track and Field

Liz

Willis

Paralympian 2016

Athlete Bio#

Height

5'2"

Age

38

Hometown

Sterling, KS

Education

Sterling High School (Sterling, Kans.) Wichita State University ’09, B.A. Elementary Education; Wichita State University ’13, M.Ed. Special Education

Classification: T44

Quick Facts
  • In 2010, Willis took a day off from her job as a teacher to visit the doctor after pain and sickness from her pregnancy. The trip resulted in an emergency delivery of her son, Calum, due to internal bleeding that was later discovered to be caused by Chrohn’s disease. Doctors were forced to amputate her left leg below the knee as Willis was forced to adjust to life as a new mother and amputee. A distance runner in high school, she pursued her passion for running and set her sights on becoming a U.S. Paralympian, transforming into a sprinter in the process. Six years later, she made her dream come true, qualifying for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
  • Daughter of Glen and Kimberly Holman
  • Has one younger sister, Kristen
  • Married to Buddy Willis
  • Has one son, Calum
  • Hobbies include camping, reading, zoo dates with her son, watching movies with her husband and swimming.
Career Highlights
  • 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials – Track & Field, bronze (100m, 400m); 4th (200m)
  • 2015 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, 2nd (100m, 200m)
Paralympic Experience
  • 1-time Paralympian;
    • Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, 6th (400m T44 - Women), 12th (200m T44 - Women), 18th (100m T44 - Women)
World Championship Experience
  • Most recent: 2015 – 10th (100m T44 - Women), 12th (200m T44 - Women)
  • Years of participation: 100m T44 - Women 2015; 200m T44 - Women 2015
  • Top finish: 10th – 2015 (100m T44 - Women)

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