Léon Schäfer

Léon Gabrial Schäfer (born 13 June 1997) is a German Paralympic athlete who competes in mainly sprinting and long jump events at international level events and is a current world record holder in the men's long jump T63.

Léon Schäfer
Schäfer in 2017
Personal information
Full nameLéon Gabrial Schäfer
Born (1997-06-13) 13 June 1997
Hanover, Germany
Home townBremen, Germany
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Country Germany
SportParalympic athletics
DisabilityLeg amputation due to bone cancer
Disability classT42, T63
Medal record
Paralympic athletics
Representing  Germany
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2017 London4x100m relay T42-47
Gold medal – first place2019 DubaiLong jump T63
Gold medal – first place2023 ParisLong jump T63
Silver medal – second place2019 Dubai100m T63
Bronze medal – third place2017 LondonLong jump T42
Bronze medal – third place2023 Paris100m T63

Career

He has represented Germany at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. He finished in fourth place at the men's long jump T42 where he narrowly missed the bronze medal and will be representing Germany at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.[1][2][3]

Personal life

When Schäfer was twelve years old, he went ice skating and fell and skidded along the ice. He noticed that a bump was visible on his right leg that he injured after his fall on ice, he went to see a doctor and got a biopsy of his shin bone and two months later, it was revealed that he had malignant bone cancer. After the diagnosis, he started chemotherapy and they operated on the affected bone part of his shin and inserted an iron rod but his foot didn't accept the rod and it developed gangrene and he ended up having part of his right leg to be amputated.[4]

References
  1. "Leon Schaefer - IPC Athlete Bio". ipc.infostradasports.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. "Athletics Top Team - Leon Schaefer". TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
  3. "Leon Schafer". Team Deutschland (in German). Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  4. "Leon Schaefer interview". Spox (in German). 6 January 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
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