April Holmes
Sport: Track and Field
Residence: Kissimmee, Florida
April Holmes went from an all-star high school and college athlete to a promising Paralympian. Best known for her deep faith and resilience, April is active in her church and uses her faith and experiences to uplift those who, like her, have acquired their disability through tragedy.
A high school 400-meter champion, April later earned multiple NCAA All-American honors as a sprinter at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA. However, in 2001, she lost her leg in a train accident. She did not fret about her new situation and quickly she found her strength and got right back into sports.
Since her accident, April has made remarkable strides as both an athlete and advocate for individuals with disabilities. A little more than a year after her accident, April was back on the track in her debut Paralympic competition: Disabled Sport USA’s “International Challenge.” From this one event, her career began to soar.
Career Highlights
- 2011: Bronze Medal, 100m- IPC Athletics World Championships, Christchurch, NZ
- 2008: Gold Medal, 100m - Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
- 2008: Three Gold Medals, 100m, 200m and Long Jump - U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Championships, Phoenix, AZ
- 2008: World Record 200m T44/F44 (27.10)- Boiling Point Track Classic
- 2007: Three Gold Medals, 100m, 200m and long jump - U.S. Paralympic Track & Field National Championships, Marietta, GA
- 2006: Two Gold Medals, 100m, 200m, Bronze Medal, long jump - 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships, Assen, The Netherlands
- 2006: Two World Records, 100m (12.98), 200m (27.10) - U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, Atlanta, GA
- 2006: Gold Medal, long jump - Visa Paralympic World Cup, Manchester, United Kingdom
- 2006: Bronze Medal, long jump - IPC Athletics World Indoor Championships, Sweden
- 2004: Two World Records, 100m, 200m; Bronze Medal, long jump - Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece
- 2002: Silver Medal, 100m, Fourth place, 200m - IPC Athletics World Championships, Lille, France
Off the track, she has created the April Holmes Foundation to further opportunities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities.
April works closely with The Hartford, Founding Partner of U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, helping to positively change public attitudes and perceptions about disability. To learn more about April: www.aprilholmes.com.
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