Mansfield Summit, North Crowley grads continue inspiring journeys at Paralympic Games
Tobi Fawehinmi was born with shoulder dystocia, a complication that occurs during childbirth that left him with an underdeveloped left arm, but that didn’t stop him from being an accomplished athlete.
A 2013 graduate of Mansfield Summit, Fawehinmi made his third Paralympic Games this year.
The games, in Tokyo, concluded on Sept. 5.
Fawehinmi, 26, finished sixth place in the long jump.
“It was nerve-racking,” said Fawehinmi, who found out he made the team virtually in June. “Nonetheless, I’m very blessed to hear my name called. Just another opportunity to represent my country.
“I look into a mirror and go about my day just like any other person.”
Fawehinmi was a four-year track athlete at Summit, where he did the high jump, long jump and triple jump. He won the bronze medal at the UIL state track meet as a senior.
He earned a Division 1 scholarship at UT Arlington.
“It was unbelievable to watch him grow up into a young man,” Summit track and field coach Shannon Utley said. “It’s crazy to see him turn from a quiet kid into this incredible athlete.
“He has great work ethic and I’m so proud of him.”
Another former Fort Worth-area athlete, Tanner Wright, joined Fawehinmi in Tokyo. Wright competed in the 100- and 400-meter dash in his first Paralympic Games.
Wright, a 2016 graduate of North Crowley, was born with Arthrogryposis, which caused his muscles to under-develop in his left arm, shoulder, collarbone and back.
But like Fawehinmi, that didn’t stop him from reaching his goal.
“Heard my name being called and it was instant relief,” said Wright, who was one of 35 male athletes who made the U.S. team. “Pure excitement.”
Both athletes played football when they were younger.
Fawehinimi played in middle school while Wright, 23, played four years at North Crowley, where he was the full-time kicker. Wright went on to play football at McMurry University and finished with track at Hardin-Simmons.
“I adapted to become successful in both sports, but it’s not really a struggle. It’s not natural to the naked eye, but I’m as natural as I can be,” Wright said. “Sometimes you have to go around and find what works best for you. Step out of your comfort zone.”
Neither athlete really knew what the Paralympics were.
“I heard of it in high school, but didn’t care for it. Not until I got to college when my coach hinted at it, did I do some research,” Wright said. “I wasn’t that fast, but trained to drop my track times. It was about 2017 when I started to understand how far this could take me.”
Fawehinmi nearly lost his opportunity when during a meet at TCU, a coach came up to him and handed him a card for disability sports. Fawehinmi turned around and threw it away.
“I had never heard of the Paralympics. Then my coaches came up to me and told me what the Paralympics were and I thought they were lying,” he said. “Sounded like a fairy tale and too good to be true. It changed my life and perception on everything. I never knew there was a world like that.
“Everything started to take off during senior year. It was pretty crazy.”
Fawehinmi first earned a spot at the Paralympics Games during the summer before his senior year at Summit in 2012. In London, he finished fifth in the long jump and 10th in the high jump.
During the following summer, he won the silver medal in the long jump at the World Championships.
Fawehinmi participated in his second Paralympic Games in 2016 and finished fifth in Rio.
He also won the triple jump gold medal at the World Championships in 2017.
“I had long legs in the seventh grade and the coaches always noticed that I jumped higher than the other kids so I tried out for the long jump,” Fawehinmi said. “I won district in the eighth grade. It was surprising that I was good at it. I know I’m different in this way, but God blessed me and showed me anything is possible.”
Added Utley, “Tobi is the ideal student-athlete that puts in the extra time at practice and on the weekend. Never had to worry about him in the classroom. He was always a positive teammate. I’m in awe of him every day and he’s an awesome part of my family. I’m blessed to follow his journey.”
Wright finished in seventh place during the 100-meter dash and fourth place in the 400, setting a personal-best mark of 49.36, in Tokyo.
He said the support he’s received has been tremendous.
Added Fawehinmi, “The love I’ve received from Summit has been amazing. I can remember the support I got in 2016 and it was mind-blowing. They all welcomed me back to school with posters and just showed me love, and to this day, all my coaches and teachers still show me love. I owe them a lot.”
This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
