Competition Year(s) and Results
2000 Paralympic Silver Medalist; 2x Paralympic Athlete (1996 – Swimming // 2000 – Track & Field)
Biography
Since childhood, sports have been John Register’s passion. He began swimming competitively at a young age, and soon added baseball, football and eventually track and field to his repertoire. In addition to being an athlete, John earned his BA in Communications in 1988, and then served in the U.S. Army for six years. After qualifying twice for the Olympic trials, he seemed destined to compete as a member of the 1996 Olympic Team. On May 17, 1994, however, his life would be forever altered with one misstep over the hurdle, which led to the amputation of his left leg. Through the use of a prosthetic leg, he walked again—and eventually ran. John also started swimming again, and made the 1996 Paralympic Team, competing in Atlanta, GA in the 50m freestyle and the 4x400m-medley relay. Then, just three years after his first run with an artificial leg, he earned the silver medal in the long jump at the 2000 Paralympic Games and set the American long jump record in the process.