• 2014 National Track & Field Paralympics Championships
• 2014 National Track & Field Paralympics Championships Results
• Team USA Paralympics Track & Field Homepage
• Team USA Paralympics Homepage

US Paralympics Track & Field Championships Feature Article - June 22, 2014
Strong day of field events at U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Nationals: Day 3 Recap
George wins fourth title, Bieule grabs record at track & field championships

US Paralympics Track & Field Championships Feature Article - June 21, 2014
Strong day of field events at U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Nationals: Day 2 Recap

US Paralympics Track & Field Championships Feature Article - June 20, 2014
Recent amputee spends day with Paralympian Jarryd Wallace

US Paralympics Track & Field Championships Feature Article - June 20, 2014
Day One Recap: U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships
Morrison smashes club world record at U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Nationals!

USOC Paralympics Press Release June 17, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY: Pre-event Press Conference for U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships with featured athletes.

SF Examiner - June 16, 2014
Inspirational Overview of Paralympics Championships: "Paralympics in San Mateo could build athletic foundation for generations to come"

US Paralympics Feature Article - June 13, 2014
'Gender parity at the Paralympic Games is our goal' says Sir Philip Craven

San Mateo Daily Journal - June 11, 2014
Paralympics Featured Athletes Article

Around the Rings - Apr 23, 2014
2014 US Paralympics Track & Field National Championships awarded to...

San Francisco Examiner - Apr 22, 2014
U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships coming to San Mateo...

San Jose Mercury News - Apr 22, 2014
National Paralympics headed here...

ABC7news.com - Apr 22, 2014
Paralympic Track and Field Championships to be held at CSM...

SFGate - Apr 22, 2014
Paralympics nationals coming to San Mateo...

Contra Costa Times - Apr 22, 2014
US Paralympic track championships awarded to San Mateo...

San Mateo Daily Journal - April 23, 2014

The Daily News - April 23, 2014
(click on B: sports) - lead story

Mercury News... Apr 22, 2014

San Mateo County Times U.S. - Apr 22, 2014
Paralympic track championships awarded to San Mateo ...

Contra Costa Times - Apr 22, 2014
U.S. Paralympic track championships awarded to San Mateo...

San Francisco Examiner:
U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships coming to San Mateo in June



San Francisco Chronicle
Paralympics nationals coming to San Mateo
By Evan Sernoffsky
April 22, 2014 | Updated: April 22, 2014 4:37pm


The Bay Area will host the U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships this summer, with more than 150 athletes gathering at the College of San Mateo for the three-day event, the U.S. Olympic Committee said Tuesday.

The competition, to be held June 20-22, has never before come to the Bay Area. The announcement was good news for local athletes, including those who are gunning for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. San Francisco's Steven Toyoji, 28, competed in a series of events in the 2008 games in Beijing and took silver in the 400-meter race in last year's International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.

"I love it. It's awesome to have the track so local. I won't have to worry about traveling with my racing chair. Any time you can eliminate variables, it's good," said Toyoji, who has been partially paralyzed since he was a baby from a rare neurological disease. "Having the support of the local community is really important. Hopefully it will encourage adaptive sports programs."

Palo Alto's Ranjit Steiner, 23, started training for the Paralympics in 2011 after losing his right leg to bone cancer the year before. He competes in the 100-meter and 200-meter races with a carbon fiber running blade, and long jumps as well. Steiner grew up playing football and running track at Gunn High, where as a sophomore he was diagnosed with cancer. While studying journalism at the University of Oregon, Steiner decided to have his leg amputated above the knee to reduce pain and increase mobility.

"Amputation was a way to compete in athletics. I was on crutches all the time and had to deal with four surgeries," he said. "It became apparent the leg wasn't going to get better." After finishing his degree last year, Steiner focused on athletics and made qualifying for the 2016 Paralympics his next goal.

"I got to trials for London and realized it wasn't easy. Since then I've gotten better and better," he said. "2014 is the year I can make track a priority in my life."

In the World Championships in Lyon, the U.S. took home 52 medals. While 2014 is an off year for the world championships, the national championships will be a chance for top-tier U.S. athletes to get ready for the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, which will be the qualifier for the Rio de Janeiro games.

"The ultimate goal is to get on the podium in the Paralympics in Rio," Toyoji said. "You have to do the work prior. Maintaining that hunger and drive is part of it."

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @evansernoffsky