Vote for Michigan's ESPY Nominee
In the latest Brandon's Blog, Dave Brandon highlights the story of Michigan alumnus and paralympian Jerome Singelton. If like me, you find Singleton's story inspirational and want to support a (yes) Michigan Man, then vote for Singleton to win the Best Male Athlete w/ a Disability ESPY.
The story of Jerome Singleton Jr. is inspiring. He never competed for the Michigan as a varsity athlete, but the way way he has represented U-M in sports on the world stage is amazing.
Track and field always seems to get the most publicity when media talk about the world's fastest human -- the winner of the 100-meter dash. Usain Bolt, the Jamaican-born sprinter and the current World and Olympic champion in the sprint events, now holds that title. While Bolt is amazing, the University of Michigan has someone who might be even more.
His name is Jerome Singleton Jr., who won the 100-meter event at the Paralympics World Championships in New Zealand last January.
He is not one of our 700-plus student-athletes who play one of our 27 (soon to be 29) varsity sports. He earned his third degree in industrial operations and engineering from U-M and is now a representative of the largest living university alumni body.
His story is amazing. When he was born without a fibula in his right leg, a decision was made by the family to amputate before he learned how to walk. Growing up, he played basketball and football and ran track.
He first went to Morehouse College in Atlanta as a NASA Scholar planning on playing football. He ended up running track and participated in the 2008 Paralympics. After graduating from Morehouse, he then came to Michigan to gain his third degree.
Next year, he hopes to return to the Paralympics in London. Before that comes about, Singleton has one more opportunity to gain the top spot. He is one of five ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) nominees for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.
Singleton has represented his family, Morehouse College and the University of Michigan quite well. He is truly an inspiration for many.
Now, we have an opportunity to help Singleton win this award with our vote. The honor is given to an individual who has the most votes from the general public. The deadline to vote is midnight on Saturday (July 9). Let's help a fellow Wolverine by voting.
Visit the ESPY's site to vote, and on Wednesday, July 13, we will find out if Jerome Singleton Jr. is indeed named the Best Male Athlete with a Disability.
Good luck to Jerome and Go Blue!
Indeed. Oh, and while you're at it, vote for Michigan's other ESPY nominee, Tom Terrific.
depends what you think of rigging the vote against 4 other similar stories.
Might also consider voting for the Fenneville basketball team that won three playoff games in Michigan class C after their star player died on the court.
...point. I did in fact vote for Fennville basketball.
Voted. Thanks for sharing this inspiring story. People like this are the ones that you have to love rooting for.
As much as I want to rep Michigan I'm having a hard time voting against Anthony Robels.
Voted for him and Fennville. I really hope those two win, but I think it's gonna be hard for anyone to beat Robles.
Well.. The bots could beat him, but we're doing the whole "ethical" thing, right?
I know Jerome personally, and more than just a passing acquaintance. He really is a GREAT dude. Funny, charming, and inspiring in his hard work.
Kind of like a guy with an alter-ego, he'd be an engineering student by day, and a World-Class Athlete on the weekend, training hard and being interviewed / followed by Fox Sports. On the one hand, he had an option to work with Nike (or Reebok, I forgot which) as a consultant intern, and on the other...Nike wanted to sponsor him as an athlete.
We were members of the same Senior Design project in IOE (which he, understandably, had to take brief absences from to compete against Oscar Pistorius, another amazing Para-Olypmpian...) We told him "Go, but you better bring home the GOLD!"
And he did.
They do have the Breakout Athlete of the Year award right? If so HOW WAS DENARD NOT NOMINATED!!!