September 6, 2024 | Men’s Track and Field | bucknellbison.com
Paris, France- While most Americans were still sleeping at 5:20 a.m. ET, Class of 2024 graduate Rayven Sample raced in the T47 400-meter dash preliminaries at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and finished 12th. He was the only American in the event. The result ends his 2024 Paralympics experience, but the memories will linger.
Sample classifies as a T45 athlete but runs in the T45-47 category due to a lack of T45 athletes. As the broadcasters noted, he would have needed to run a near-world record in his grouping to qualify for the finals. As it stands, he did an admirable job finishing 12th in a crowded and competitive field. His time of 50.33 was less than a second away from qualifying.
Sample previously raced in the 100-meter dash preliminaries at the Paralympics and finished 14th. He placed eighth in the 400-meter dash at the 2021 Tokyo Preliminaries.
The 2028 Paralympics Games will be held in Los Angeles. Sample already plans on participating in that competition and will begin training in earnest after refueling from his extensive workouts this summer.
“Rayven had a great career for us and not only did he compete well against able-bodied competition, but he was able to bring our program and university national and international attention with his results at National and International competition in the Paralympic Athletics,” said Bucknell head coach Kevin Donner. “He always competed hard and with great pride. Rayven will be remembered at Bucknell for many years to come and we will miss him.”
Morocco’s Ayoub Sadni finished first and broke his Paralympic record with a time of 46.98. He shattered his old mark of 47.38, set at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. Fellow Moroccan Aymane El Haddaoui placed second, racing 47.15. South Africa’s Collen Mahlalela grabbed third, running a personal best 48.65.
Ja:göh, Rayven! You’ve made your Nation proud while representing yourself on the world stage! Can’t wait to see you in LA 2028.
Rayven shared the following to his social media account:
“People tell me that my times shouldn’t be possible, that on paper a T45 shouldn’t be competitive….I will likely be the most impaired athlete racing in the T47/T46/T45 400m this weekend and know it’ll take a World Record to advance to finals against my competitors. But these are the moments I live for, this is when I’m best; when no one believes what I’m about to do is possible and I’m fighting the uphill battle.
In the moments before the biggest race of my life, I reflect on my career with a joyful smile. From being told that I’d never be an athlete because of my disability to astonishing everyone by doing the unthinkable. I have accepted every challenge without a second thought and elevated myself in the process. While that progress hasn’t been linear, I can confidently say that I have never been a stronger, faster or sharper athlete.”
