Track & Field

Adaptive Sports

What sorts of modifications need to be made on your running leg before races/practices?

No modifications needed: The key takeaway from this runner's approach to race preparation.

Hey, Jeannie. This is a very interesting question, because I actually don't make any modifications to my blades ever. Honestly. Um, I always go to my prosthetist because I am like such a klutz. And I definitely will be the one to like mess up something right before race. So personally, I do not deal with my blades or touch them or modify them or do anything to them before. Erase before practice. If I need any modifications done, I am like straight to my prosthetist and getting the work done there. Because like I said, I am a total Klutz and I will mess something up, and I don't have time for that. So, I do not make any modifications. The biggest modification I do make is drying my stump because my stomach gets very sweaty especially at practice, when we're doing multiple reps of things, and definitely before race, if you ever seen any of my races, Has. I am always the one sitting down. Drying my leg right before the gun goes off. So no modifications over here. My model is if it's not broke, why fix it? So that's kind of where I'm at.

I don't make any modifications to my blades. If I need modifications done, I go straight to my prosthetist. The biggest modification I do make is drying my stump before race.

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I don't make any modifications to my running leg before races or practices. I prefer to leave any adjustments or modifications to my prosthetist because I tend to be a bit clumsy and don't want to risk messing something up right before an important event. If I need any modifications, I go straight to my prosthetist to get the work done. The only modification I do make is drying my stump since it tends to get sweaty, especially during practice or before a race. You'll often see me sitting down, drying my leg right before the race starts. My motto is if it's not broke, why fix it? So I prefer to keep things as they are and focus on performing my best.

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Femita Ayanbeku is an American Paralympic sprinter of Haitian and Nigerian descent. She is a World bronze medalist and has competed at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics. In 2003, she was involved in a car accident that resulted in the amputation of her right leg. She was introduced to track and field by Jerome Singleton and his coach Sherman Hart. She qualified for the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics in the 100m and 200m, but was unable to compete in the finals of the 2020 games due to a positive COVID-19 test.