Marla Runyan

Featured Endurance Speaker

Marla Runyan

The First Legally Blind Person to Earn a Spot on the U.S. Olympic Team

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Eugene, Oregon, United States
About Marla Runyan

Marla Runyon placed third in the qualifying trials for the Women's 1500 meters earning a spot on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team - the first time a legally blind person has ever accomplished such a feat. Diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease as a child, Marla has been legally blind for 20 years; but she refuses to consider her blindness a handicap. "It is not a factor or an excuse for a bad race," she says. Marla Runyan's performance in the Olympics stands as a testimony to what can be achieved through ...