TEMPE, Ariz. - Paralympic hopeful Carlos Leon (Birmingham, Ala./N. Lauderdale, Fla.) set a new, unofficial world record in the discus at the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials - Track & Field at Arizona State University's Sun Angel Stadium. The record will remain unofficial pending ratification by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Leon dominated the competition in the men's F52 discus with a new world record throw of 22.04m (previous 19.52m).

"I knew that it was better than my throws before it, but it was weird because I didn't try to throw that far," said Leon. "I had fouled on the earlier throw, so I was concentrating more on technique to ensure I got a flag posted. I let it go and it felt really easy and smooth, and that was the world record mark. I have to thank the Lakeshore Foundation for helping to make this possible. Without the resources they have given me, coupled with my hard work and training, there's no way this would have been possible."

Leon currently lives and trains at the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Ala., an Olympic and Paralympic Training Site.

 

For more information or to arrange for an athlete interview, please contact Beth Bourgeois, U.S. Paralympics at (719)866-2039 or beth.bourgeois@usoc.org.