Final Quarter feature: Paralympian Leo Merle

FOLSOM, Calif. (KTXL) – Leo Merle’s love for running began years ago when he was attending Folsom Middle School.

“As I grew up, the kids started getting a little bit bigger, faster and stronger than me and I wasn’t a big contact sports guy,” he smiled. “I didn’t like getting hit as much.”

So he stayed in his lane. Literally. And he eventually made the cross country team and the track & field team at Vista del Lago High School.

He also ran track in college at UC Santa Cruz, where he was first introduced to the Paralympics.

“I noticed that a lot of the guys in the race had a very similar running form to me,” said Merle. “At that time, there weren’t a lot of people in Paralympic sports around me so I had to do a lot of research on my own.”

Leo Merle was born with cerebral palsy. He says his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, which caused a lack of oxygen to his brain and it hindered the development of certain muscles and nerves.

Merle says it is a mild form affecting his right side, especially the flexibility in his right leg and foot.

“And so for me growing up, I saw myself on the weaker side,” he said. “I didn’t realize it was a significant disability. I just thought that people had a strong side and a weak side.”

Leo Merle started competing in Para Athletics in 2019. He quickly moved up in the U.S. rankings, and he won gold for Team USA at the Parapan American Games in 2023.

That gave him the confidence to compete at the Paralympic team trials, where he qualified for the games in Paris. And, by the way, he did it while attending the University of Michigan’s School of Dentistry.

“I want to spend this block of time to focus on being the best athlete I can,” said Merle. “I want to take full advantage of it.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.