ECU graduate takes third silver medal at Paralympic Games

Published Sep 05, 2012 by
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-HqL1-z2SM&feature=player_embedded

YouTube video from the Paralympic Games in London shows ECU graduate Elexis Gillette in competition. He appears about 13 seconds into the video.

East Carolina University graduate Elexis Gillette won a silver medal Sept. 4 in the men’s long jump at the 2012 Paralympics Games in London.

It was Gillette’s third Paralympic silver medal in the event. He has also competed in the long jump at the Athens and Beijing Paralympic Games.

A world record holder in the long jump, Gillette fell short of his personal best, finishing with a leap of 6.34m just behind the winning jump of 6.46 by Ukraine’s Ruslan Katyshe.

ECU graduate Elexis Gillette won his third silver medal in the Paralympic Games in London. (Photo, USParalympics.org)

Gillette, who has a visual impairment due to congenital detached retina and glauma, has been an international competitor in paralympic track and field since he was a student at ECU. He trained on campus at Bunting Track and the Student Recreation Center.

He graduated from ECU in 2007 with a bachelor of science in recreation and park management from the Recreation and Leisure Studies Department in the College of Health and Human Performance. In 2012, Gillette earned a master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Highlights in Gillette’s career, as posted on the U.S. Paralympic web site include the following:

  • 2011 IPC World Championships, silver medal (triple jump), bronze medal (200m)
  • 2011 Desert Challenge Games, gold medal (long jump)
  • 2010 U.S. Paralympic National Championship, gold medal (long jump, triple jump 100m, 200m)
  • 2010 Paralympic World Cup, bronze medal (100m)
  • 2008 U.S. Paralympic National Championship, gold medal (long jump, triple jump)
  • 2007 Parapan American Games, silver (long jump)
  • 2006 IPC World Championship, silver (long jump)
  • 2003 IBSA World Games, fifth place (long jump)
  • 2003 News & Observer Athlete of the Year Award
  • 2002 USABA National Championship, gold medal
  • 2002 USABA Male Athlete of the Year
  • World record holder, long jump
  • American record holder, triple jump

The 2012 Paralympic Games began Aug. 29 and run through Sept. 9 in the same venue as the 2012 Olympic Games, providing high level competition for athletes with disabilities. The U.S. Paralympic Team as of Sept. 4 had won 47 medals at the event.

A one-hour highlight show from the paralympic games will be shown on the NBC Sports Network, at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and 6, and at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 Eastern Time.

For additional information on the U.S. Paralympic team and athletes, visit http://www.USParalympics.org. For more information on Gillette, visit http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/GI/Elexis-Gillette.aspx.

A news feature on the Team USA page highlights Gillette. Read the feature, Lex Gillette balances athletics with musical career.