KOBE, JAPAN – Three-time Paralympic medalist Hunter Woodhall (Syracuse, Utah) earned the first 100-meter podium of his career and teammate Derek Loccident (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) finished just behind him to give Team USA its first double podium of the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships in Kobe, Japan.

Rounding out the medals on a stellar day on the track for the Americans was Erin Kerkhoff (Coralville, Iowa), who took silver in the women’s 200-meter T13.

After setting the Americas Record in the 100-meter T62 at the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships in March, then tying it in preliminary heats in Kobe, Woodhall was primed for his first major international medal in the event. Woodhall’s time of 11.13 was second only to Sherman Guity Guity of Costa Rica, while Loccident was close behind in third.

For Woodhall, the podium is extra sweet after a last-minute equipment issue unexpectedly kept him out of last year’s world championships 400-meter competition.

“It just feels like all of the decisions I’ve been making are starting to pay off,” Woodhall said. “I feel vindicated that those decisions were the right decisions. I’m just grateful and excited for what’s to come.”

With the medal – his first international medal in the 100-meter – Loccident becomes Team USA’s first multi-medalist of the meet. Today’s bronze follows an unprecedented high jump T64 silver medal over the weekend that saw Loccident set the T64 championship record in his international debut in the event.

“I came in trying to complete the last 30 meters of my race, which I’m still continuing to work on,” he said. “I’m just extremely happy to be here in this moment. Every day here has been special, and I’m just happy to be able to experience it with teammates like Hunter and Blake [Leeper], who also ran a great race.”

Loccident, seeking his first Paralympic berth this summer, said he has learned from the veterans on his team like Woodhall and Paralympian Blake Leeper (Kingsport, Tennessee), who also qualified for tonight’s 100-meter T64 final and finished seventh. Having teammates like Woodhall and Leeper to guide him, Loccident said, has made his adjustment to Para track and field easier.

“Their experience and the way they prepare for this race, I’m taking those notes from them,” Loccident said. “[Hunter] was in my ear telling me that the door is wide open. It’s true. This was an opportunity for me to grasp, to get on the podium for a second time. Going into my second year, I’m still trying to figure out my race.”

Kerkhoff powered to the best result of her international career with her 200-meter silver. It was an upgrade from the bronze she won in the event at last year’s world championships in Paris, which was the first international medal of her career.

The 2020 Paralympian’s time of 25.58 tied a personal best and beat out the bronze medalist, Japan’s Mana Sasaki, by more than a second.

Kerkhoff will also be competing in the 400-meter on Friday.

“I’m just glad to have one under my belt,” she said. “This is a good starting point to build off of. It’s a really good confidence builder for me, and I’m excited to see what I can do in the 400.”

Jumping for only the second time on a new prosthetic blade, Paralympian Beatriz Hatz (Lakewood, Colorado) earned a sixth-place finish in the women’s long jump T64. She jumped a season-best 5.02 meters in her first competition with the new equipment. Hatz, who won Parapan American Games gold in both long jump and the 100-meter and silver in the 200-meter last November, will return to the track later in the week for both of her sprinting events.

Competing in her first career world championships race, Taylor Swanson (Spokane, Washington) qualified first overall for tomorrow’s final of the women’s 100-meter T37 competition. Swanson’s time of 12.99 seconds was nearly a quarter-second ahead of the second-fastest qualifying time.

Brand new to Para sport, Swanson made her international debut at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where she won two silver medals.

Competition resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. local time at the Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe. All sessions will be streamed live on the Paralympics YouTube Channel and the World Para Athletics Facebook page. For updates and results from Team USA, follow U.S. Paralympics Track & Field on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For media requests and photo inquiries, please contact Kristen Gowdy at Kristen.Gowdy@usopc.org.

Team USA Medals – May 20

SILVER
Erin Kerkhoff – women’s 200-meter T13
Hunter Woodhall – men’s 100-meter T64

BRONZE
Derek Loccident – men’s 100-meter T64

Other Team USA Results

Beatriz Hatz – 6th, women’s long jump T64
Blake Leeper – 7th, men’s 100-meter T64

Taylor Swanson – finals, women’s 100-meter T37

Woodhall, Loccident Snag Team USA’s First Double Podium, Kerkhoff Earns Silver on Fourth Day of Worlds in Kobe

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