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Leo Merle VI (born January 14, 1998) is an American Paralympic middle-distance runner. He will represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leo Merle VI | ||||||||||||||
| Born | January 14, 1998[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Home town | Folsom, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Education | University of California, Santa Cruz University of Michigan | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Paralympic athletics | ||||||||||||||
| Disability | Cerebral palsy | ||||||||||||||
| Disability class | T38 | ||||||||||||||
| Event | Middle-distance running | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Merle was born with cerebral palsy that affects the flexibility in his right foot and leg. He wore a corrective boot to stretch the tendons of his right leg so they would develop properly and maintain their flexibility until he was six years old.[2] He attended Vista Del Lago High School where he ran cross country and track and field.[3] He attended University of California, Santa Cruz and earned a Bachelor of Science in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. He then attended the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and earned a doctorate of dental surgery.[4]
Merle began his career in long-distance running, participating in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events. After learning that his T38 classification maxed out at 1500 metres, he transitioned to middle-distance running.[5]
He made his international debut for the United States at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in the 1500 metres T38 event, and finished in fourth place with a personal best time of 4:06.13.[6] In November 2023, he then competed at the 2023 Parapan American Games and won a gold medal in the 1500 metres T38 event with a time of 4:12.62.[7][8]
In May 2024, he represented the United States at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in the 1500 metres T38 event, and finished in fourth place with a time of 4:07.47.[9] In July 2024, during the U.S. Paralympic team trials, he qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[10][11]
Following the Paralympics, Merle intends to become a dental professional, specializing in endodontics and becoming a root canal specialist.[4]
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