CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) – If you take one look at Kym Crosby running, you can tell she’s clearly a professional track athlete.
“In 2016, I got bronze in the 100 meters, 4th in the 400. In Tokyo, I got bronze in the 100 and bronze in the 400,” Crosby said.
Those medals all coming from the Paralympics.
Crosby tells me she was born visually impaired, having albinism.
“Which means I have no pigment in my hair, skin and eyes,” Crosby said.
She also told 10News her vision is 20/400 which is defined as legally blind.
“Because I have no pigment that helps with the development of the eyes so, I’m really light sensitive. My eyes move back and forth really fast,” Crosby said. “So that makes it really challenging for me to run around the track and stay in my lane. So constantly when I’m running, I’m looking to make sure I don’t move out of my lane, so I don’t get disqualified.” She got her start in para-track in 2014 and has been training at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, which is also referred to as U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, in Chula Vista since 2015.
Crosby told 10News she’s thankful for the Challenged Athletes Foundation - a local non-profit - who awarded her grants for training and travel since 2017.
“That allowed me to get to Nationals actually every single year since then and get some of the equipment I’ve need going forward,” Crosby said. “So, CAF has been there by my side going through each and every games. Challenged Athletes Foundation helped me with their assisted funds to get me to Nationals so I can compete to make a team.”
Bob Babbitt, Co-Founder of Challenged Athletes Foundation, said they’ve sent out more than 48,000 grants; a lot of them travel grants.
“You’ve got to prove yourself and get to that point and it’s four years in between. So, she’s got to keep herself going for four years,” Babbitt said. “If you don’t get to the meets, then you don’t get points; you don’t have a chance to get points. You don’t get points; you don’t qualify for to go to the trials. If you don’t get to the trials you don’t go to the games.”
She leaves in a couple of weeks for Paris as a member of Team USA in the Paralympic Games.
“I’m just ready to go. I’m like chomping at the bit just like get me on the plane, let’s go!” Crosby said.
As she gets ready for Paris, step by step for her third trip to the games, her motto stays the same.
“Limited sight, limitless dreams and I go by that because even though I can see very well I don’t let it stop me from the things I want to achieve,” Crosby said.
The Paralympics start August 28th and go through September 8th.
