On 5 November, the 53rd operating of the New York Town Marathon commenced when greater than 50,000 folks raced from Staten Island against the end line in Central Park, 26.2 miles away. A number of the racers was once Particular Olympics Texas runner Kayleigh Williamson who made historical past as one of the most first girls with Down syndrome to finish the NYC Marathon (10:09:11).
“I love to run as it makes me really feel glad.” She additionally shared that she was once taking in each second of her most up-to-date NYC Marathon, “I’m a diva. The entire race I used to be at all times solving my hair. I did a victory dance on the end line.”
Kayleigh Williamson (Folks Mag)
Kayleigh previously made historical past in 2017 when she turned into the primary individual with Down syndrome to finish the Austin Marathon. Since then, she has competed in additional than 20 native and nationwide part and whole marathons together with the Ascension Seton Part Marathon and the 2023 Boston Marathon.
In Boston, she battled throughout the components together with freezing temperatures and rain at the morning of the marathon and even supposing she didn’t end the race, Kayleigh didn’t let that forestall her from pursuing her subsequent primary marathon the place she proved she was once greater than in a position to operating all 26.2 miles of the NYC Marathon.
Considered one of her buddies and fellow marathoner is Particular Olympics triathlete Chris Nikic who additionally ran within the 2023 Boston Marathon. The 2 Particular Olympics racers represented Adidas’ Runner 321 program which has the purpose to, “be certain neurodivergent folks’s illustration in mainstream game.” With the continuing motion via Adidas along representatives like Kayleigh and Chris, marathons are turning into more and more inclusive for the ones with highbrow and developmental disabilities.
The Global Marathon Majors come with each the NYC Marathon and the Boston Marathon this means that Kayleigh is 33% of how to competing in all six Marathon Majors.
Kayleigh is from Texas the place she often competes in native and state-wide Particular Olympics swimming competitions. On best of the continual coaching for marathons and swim meets, Kayleigh does energy coaching and different bodily actions which lend a hand her keep in form and mentally get ready for her time within the pool and at the racecourse.
