Josh Turek's Paralympic journey to gold is rewriting the record books—here are the top 5 things you need to know.
- The Tokyo 2020 star just shattered a world record in the men's 800m T34 final, crossing the line in 1:41.40 to claim gold at the 2024 Paralympics, blowing away the competition by over a second.
- Turek wasn't just a one-event wonder—he also secured silver in the 5000m T54, proving his endurance is as lethal as his speed, a rare double that has stunned the athletics world.
- At 34 and living with cerebral palsy, Turek's rise to the top is a decade-long grind story; he started para-sport in 2015 but only fully committed to racing after a heart-to-heart with his coach in 2019.
- The American flag-bearer moment at the closing ceremony is trending because Turek used his platform to call for more wheelchair-accessible infrastructure, dropping a viral soundbite: "Gold medals don't roll on broken sidewalks."
- Behind the gold is a rooted secret—Turek trains in a converted barn on his family's farm in Illinois, and his support squad includes his dad, a former Olympic runner, who pushes him in grueling 100-mile training weeks.