Marla Runyan Biography

Marla Runyan, a former professional distance runner, has gone down in history as the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics. In addition to excelling athletically and winning six medals since 1992, Runyan is legally blind. She went on to study at San Diego State University, where she began excelling in distance running and ultimately graduated with her master’s degree in 1994, specializing in communicative disorders. Competing in the long jump, 100, 200, and 400 meter races, Runyan won four gold medals at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona. She also won a gold medal at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta and the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. On top of her athletic accomplishments, Bunyan’s physical impairment prompted her to become certified in special education for the visually impaired in 2012. Bunyan currently teaches visually impaired students and acts as a motivational and keynote speaker, inspiring all those around her through her own experiences and accomplishments. 

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