A blind pole vaulter has realised her dream by
winning a bronze medal in the Texas state high
school championships.
Teenager Charlotte Brown cleared 3.5m and was
joined on the podium in Austin by her guide dog
Vador.
Brown developed cataracts at 16 weeks and had
artificial lenses inserted, but her vision began to
worsen aged 11 and she is now blind with only a
"jigsaw puzzle" of light and dark shades.
"This story really wasn't about me," said the 17-
year-old.
"It was about everybody that struggles with
something."
The Emory Rains student has pursued a medal for
the past two years, finishing eighth and then fourth
before taking third as a high school senior on
Saturday.
Brown first took up pole vaulting, which is not a
Paralympic sport, in seventh grade because she
wanted something a little "dangerous and
exciting".
She counts the seven steps of her left foot on her
approach, listening for the sound of a faint beeper
placed on the mat that tells her when to plant the
pole and push up.
"It took me three years to get on the podium, and I
finally did it," added Brown, who is heading to
university at Purdue on an academic scholarship.
"If I could send a message to anybody, it's not
about pole vaulting and it's not about track. It's
about finding something that makes you happy
despite whatever obstacles are in your way."


http://m.bbc.com/sport/athletics/32769608?ocid=socialflow_twitter

cozy7:
That's an inspiration.......disability is not an excuse for failure.

she is a fighter. I love the comment on the last paragraph

.