(NEXSTAR) – Going into his third Paralympics Games, Blake Haxton appreciates how quickly rowing and canoeing show you whether you can get the job done.
“Life’s complicated. This is not one of those things. This is very simple,” Haxton said.
Blake was the only American athlete competing in two sports, para-canoe and para-rowing, at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Haxton started rowing in high school but as a senior in 2009 he got sick. His calf started hurting– he was taken to The Ohio State University Medical Center and diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as “the flesh-eating disease.” As a result, he lost both of his legs below the waist.
Doctors did not expect Blake to make a recovery, however he defied the odds and is now hoping to claim gold for Team USA.
