Raymond Martin Wins all Gold in First Paralympics

Raymond Martin has participated in wheelchair sports since he was 5 years old and always had one goal in mind—to reach the Paralympics. Now 18, he spent the last year training extremely hard in order to qualify. Despite the demands of senior year and preparing to move to Illinois for college, he kept a strict 6-day per week training schedule.  His hard work paid off; as a result of his incredible performance in the Paralympics, Ray was named Paralympic SportsMan of the year.

“Making the US Paralympics’ team felt amazing because it's the pinnacle of sport,” Ray declared. “I was really looking forward to just getting out there and competing to the best of my abilities. It was my first games so I was really excited to just get some experience under my belt.”

For more than ten years, Ray has been a member of the North Jersey Navigators—an adaptive sports team for junior athletes with disabilities in Jersey City, NJ. With the support of Kessler Foundation, the team has progressed from a small team category to a large team. Leading the Navigators is Head Coach Jimmy Cuevas, who was also chosen as one of the wheelchair track coaches for Team USA in the Paralympics.

Through the years Jimmy has watched Ray become a world-class athlete. “There are many individuals in society today who are very smart but never reach their maximum potential because of lack of dedication and perseverance, but this will never be the case with Raymond,” he stated. “His determination knows no limits, which is directly related to his commitment to excel. I was confident that Ray would have an excellent performance at the 2012 Paralympics Games and proudly represent the USA. He did just that.”

Ray exceeded even the highest of expectations. Slated to compete in four racing events—the 100, 200, 400, and 800-meter—he won gold in the first event. Then he went on to win two more golds. And with a fairytale ending, on the last day of competition, Ray won his fourth gold medal! In a state of elation, his face exploded with pride.

“Watching Ray win four gold medals was amazing and an experience that I’ll never forget,” Jimmy exclaimed. “Being able to share the moments with Ray at the Paralympics made it even more special. I want to thank Kessler Foundation for their continued support of the Navigators and helping our athletes realize their dreams.”

Aside from the Paralympics, Ray has had quite a year. He was nominated for an ESPY and received the 2012 Sports ‘N Spokes Athlete of the Year Award. In racing, Ray is the current national record holder for the 200, 400, and 800-meter events. He and the Navigators won 118 medals—88 of which were gold—set 20 national records, and placed first in the Large Team category in the 2012 National Junior Disability Championships. He set a world record in the T52 200 meter with a time of 30.18 seconds during the 2012 US Paralympics’ Track & Field Trials.

Kessler Foundation continues to cheer Ray on as he makes further strides in his racing career. With his determination and sheer athletic talent, it’s likely that his Paralympic career is just beginning.