Paralympic Judoka Myles Porter: ‘I Want to Win’ (VIDEO)
As a former high school football player and wrestler, Myles Porter never thought he would be competing for Paralympic gold in judo. The legally blind judo powerhouse discovered the sport during a collegiate extracurricular class after realizing he needed more credits; He has been climbing the ladder of athletic success ever since. Watch the two-time Paralympic athlete on his hopes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London:
As the third legally blind judo athlete ever to earn a national ranking among sighted athletes, Porter is proving that he doesn’t need to see in order to succeed.
He recently earned a spot on the U.S. Paralympic Judo team, which will make this his second Paralympic appearance after making his debut at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing in 2008 and finishing fifth. This time around, he hopes to return to the United States with a medal around his neck.
WATCH: USA Judo’s Quest for Olympic Gold
“A gold medal would mean the world especially after Beijing,” Porter told genConnect. “I lost for a bronze medal and ended up taking fifth. Not coming home with a medal was the most disappointing thing. I didn’t even know if I wanted to do judo after that because I was so devastated, but I came back and won two bronze medals at the last two world championships. Now I want to win. I want to know what it feels like to be on top. I only know the words to one national anthem and I want to hear that at the end of the day.”
Related: Paralympic Legend Chris Waddell — ‘Inspiration Surrounds Us’
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