Anjali Forber-Pratt

Anjali Forber-Pratt (born June 22, 1984) is an American wheelchair racer who competes in sprint events at the Paralympic level.

Raised in Natick, Massachusetts, Forber-Pratt was diagnosed with transverse myelitis at four and a half months of age. The disorder left her paralyzed from the waist down.^[1] She began racing at the national level in 1993 with an appearance at the Junior National Wheelchair Games. She competed at the games three more times, in 1996, 1998, and 2003, and won a total of four gold, six silver, and two bronze medals.^[2] She is currently the American Record holder in the 200m. ^[3] As a student at Natick High School she also competed in downhill skiing before graduating in 2002.^[1][2]

Forber-Pratt attends the University of Illinois and is a member of the school's wheelchair track and field team.^[1] She has received a bachelor's and master's degree from Illinois and is currently working towards a doctorate in human resource education.^[2]

Her first major international competition was the 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de Janerio,^[1] where she won two gold medals in the 100 and 200 meter races and a bronze in the 400 meters.^[2] At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, she won a bronze medal in the 400 meter T53 event with a personal best time of 56.79 seconds^[4] and another bronze in the 4×100 meter relay T53–T54. She also competed in the 100 and 200 meters in Beijing, finishing sixth and fourth, respectively.

Forber-Pratt is a Board Member of Disabled Sports USA, an organization founded in 1967 that provides opportunities for over 60,000 youth, wounded warriors and adults with disabilities to develop independence, confidence and fitness through participation in disabled sports each year.^[5]

Forber-Pratt is also an advocate and was involved in a legal battle with her high school in 2002, fighting for equal access to education for students with disabilities.

References

External links

• Official website
• Anjali Forber Pratt's profile on paralympic.org</ref>