Fayetteville native and Concord University alum Jonathan Gore hopes to inspire other people with a disability by sharing his story. Gore made it to this year’s Paralympics. Next week, he’s the featured speaker at a special event in southern West Virginia.
Gore was a standout track and field athlete at Concord University. Shortly after graduation, Gore lost the lower part of his leg in a lawnmower accident.
But that didn’t stop his Olympic aspirations. Gore went on to not only compete in two events of the 2021 Paralympics, but finished fourth in the 200-meter dash in Tokyo.
He will share his journey of determination at the event called, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” It’s meant to show how employing people with disabilities can help the nation recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. There are more than 590,000 people with disabilities in West Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The event begins on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. on Concord’s Athens campus in the ballroom of the Jean and Jerry L. Beasley Student Center.
Fayetteville native Jonathan Gore finished seventh in the 100-meter dash in the 2021 Paralympics on Monday in Tokyo — the first of two races he will run.
The Concord University assistant track and field coach, and former student standout, was celebrated on the Athens campus this morning.
About 20 people from the Concord community joined to cheer on Gore via television as he ran in the 100-meter final. Supporters clapped, cheered and took photos on cell phones as his name was announced and he took his mark.
Jessica Lilly
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The Concord University community watched assistant coach, Jonathan Gore on a flat screen TV.
Those rooting for Gore included current students, local residents, a few folks from the athletic department along with Mike Cox, Concord’s head track and field coach.
“Just seeing someone that you’ve coached that you now work with, get on that stage, you know, what he’s gone through to get to that point — is just remarkable,” Cox told West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Gore was a standout runner at Concord University from 2013 to 2017. Shortly after graduation he lost his leg in a lawnmower accident, but Cox, his former coach, said Gore wasn’t ready to give up.
Jessica Lilly
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Concord Athletics hosted a watch party to support assistant track and field coach, Jonathan Gore as he raced in the paralympics.
“At the hospital, they just cut his leg off. I’m crying,” Cox said. “And he just looked right at me and said, ‘I’m going to the Paralympics, coach.’ And here we are.”
Gore qualified on Sunday for the final 100 meter race. Cox says Gore’s running time — which earned him that seventh place finish — was one of his best. The strongest chance at a medal for Gore though, will come later this week.
“I knew the 100 was gonna be harder than the two for him,” Cox said. “I mean, other than his finish today, everything was good. He ran the third fastest time here in the last year. I think the 200, he’s gonna do some damage in this (200-meter race).”
Gore will race in the 200-meter preliminary round Friday evening.
Jessica Lilly
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Jonathan Gore supporters placed encouraging posters around the classroom where the watch party was held.
