If you have ever been around the sport of wheelchair racing, you more than likely know Jacob Heilveil. If you don’t, chances are good that you have seen him—albeit briefly—on the starting line in his trademark yellow racer before the gun sounds.
For 25 years, Heilveil has been a fixture on the international wheelchair racing circuit. He has finished at or near the top of some of the world’s most prestigious marathons, track meets, and road races in cities like Oita, Honolulu, Boston, Athens, Atlanta, Sydney, and Seoul.
He is a three-time Paralympian whose admirable determination and focus have paid dividends both on and off the track. If you have any doubt about his determination, understand that he has been known to push a marathon on a track during his training “just for the fun of it.”
Opportunities for People with Disabilities in America
Jacob Heilveil came to America from Korea and built a life that included better health care and more opportunity. He suffered the complications of polio as a 6 month old and lost partial use of his legs. At age 11, he was placed with an adoption agency that found him an American family in Honolulu.
When Heilveil was a young teen, he met Vietnam veteran and Paralympic Gold medalist Jim Martinson at a disabled sports clinic before the Honolulu Marathon. Martinson took Heilveil under his wing and taught him how to train, race, compete, and win. It wasn’t long after the meeting that Heilveil began to excel in the sport.
Looking back, he says, “I don’t have a list of all the races I’ve done and everything I have won but there are definitely a few memories that come to mind when I think about my 25 years on the elite level.”
He recalls the shock and excitement that came with qualifying for the 1996 Olympic Exhibition 1500 meter final, the joy of winning his first Honolulu Marathon in 1997 (after several close second and thirds), and the energy and nervousness of the Oita Marathon starting line.
“There are literally hundreds of chairs racing in Oita, and there’s always a pack at the front,” he explains.
Heilveil has raced in Oita 13 times and annually used the trip as a way to vacation with his biological family, as well.,
A New Spin for the Paralympian
His life now has a different spin. Heilveil moved from Seattle to Boulder three years ago and is now married with an 18-month-old son Jayden. His wife Jennifer is a Paralympic staffer who works for the City of Boulder.
“As of now, I train just a few times a week to stay in shape. I haven’t set any competitive goals but maybe next year, when my son is old enough to travel, I might take a look at the calendar and find some of the bigger races that I have enjoyed for so many years and head back. Who knew it but I’m now pushing 40 and I know there will be some fun that comes with competing in the master’s division,” he jokes.
Heilveil believes it is important to stay connected even though he is not wheelchair racing at the elite level.
“I like to stay in the loop and see what’s going on," he says. "Whether you’re a recreational or elite athlete, sports is a healthy lifestyle that both my wife and I enjoy. I don’t miss being gone five months of the year, but I do miss the friends I see only at the competitions.”
In addition to his duties as Jayden’s stay-at-home-dad, Jacob Heilveil is giving back to the same disability community that gave him his chance. He frequently travels overseas to lead disabled sports clinics in developing countries like Thailand, and he actively supports organizations that donate wheelchairs and adaptive sports equipment to third-world countries.
“I never had anything in Korea when I was growing up; being able to give back is so important to me,” he offers.
While Jacob Heilveil’s latest spin is taking him in new and different directions, he is never really that far from the starting line he has grown to love.
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