Noah Malone Earns Gold at World Para Athletics Jr Champs


Hamilton Southeastern senior Noah Malone quickly became the star of the show over in Nottwil, Switzerland for the World Para Athletics Junior Championships. Malone is a household name in Indiana when it comes to the track, as he has earned himself a state title in the 200 and multiple indoor titles in his three years of high school thus far. 

What really sets Malone apart from his fellow competitors, isn't his times, while they are impressive, it's his visual impairment that really makes him stand out. Noah Malone is legally blind, but he is still able to throw down some of the fastest times in Indiana history. 

Malone competes in the T12 division, and coming into the champs was seen as a big favorite to win both the 100 and the 200, having previously this season ran a 10.59 and a 21.31 at the state meet. He also stepped up to an event he hasn't run in years, the 400. 

"I feel like my experience here in Switzerland has taught me many lessons on and off the track. This experience will better prepare me for this upcoming high school season" Malone spoke about his overall experience in the games. 

He kicked off his competition with a 10.92, notably the slowest finals time all season due to rainy and windy conditions around the stadium. Malone won by nearly half a second. A day later he ran his 2nd slowest 200 finals time of his season, but still coming away with the gold in 22.00. This 22-flat time gives him a new American record at this distance as well. His time of 21.31 from the state meet, is his best time of his career and also broke the T12 world para record but won't be ratified to reflect that. 

Again a day later, Malone tried his hand, well his feet, at the 400 for the first time in years. In fact the last recorded time he ran a 400 was back in 2014, over 5 years ago. His time then? A 57.37. This time he proved that with a little time and training, those times drop and ran a 52.23 for silver. An athlete from Mexico managed to beat him running a 51.98. 

It doesn't stop there for Malone and is international campaign. In just two weeks he will travel to Lima, Peru where he will represent the USA once again in the Para Pan Am Games. The track and field events are scheduled to compete August 24-31. Here is where Malone hopes to break that T12 World Para Record and officially be able to have his name on the list as number 1. 

In the 100 he currently ranks No. 2 in the world for parathletics and in the 200 he sits at No. 1. 

"It's an absolute honor that I will be representing my country once again in Lima later in August and possibly again at the World Game in Dubai." Malone said of his opportunities to put on the red white and blue for Team USA.

Noah Malone will start his senior year of high school on Wednesday at Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers, IN. About two weeks later he will be on another plan this time headed south to Lima. 

The championships in Peru will be his first senior championships he has ever competed in and his biggest competition to date. The World Para Junior Games were just a stepping stone for Malone on his way to greatness.