Ezra Frech won two gold medals in Paris. He wants to up the ante in Los Angeles.
For Ezra Frech, gold medals on back-to-back days at the Paris Paralympics were extraordinary, but not completely satisfying.
So Frech is sticking to the promise he made years ago — to win three track and field events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
"To win a gold in the three most explosive events — high jump, long jump, 100m — and do it in my hometown," he said on the TODAY Show set on Tuesday. "That would top these (two Paris Olympic gold medals)."
Frech, 20, won the T63 100m and high jump in Paris last summer. He also placed fifth in the long jump after finishing fourth in that event at the previous two world championships.
He actually missed his first few weeks of freshman classes at USC to compete at the Games. After winning the 100m, a professor sent him a congratulatory email that also reminded him to complete classwork by the next day.
"I'm sitting there, greatest moment of my life, gold medal on my neck, thinking there's no way I'm doing this discussion (work) before tomorrow," he said.
Next on the track for Frech could be the Para National Championships from July 31-Aug. 2 in Eugene, Oregon, held in conjunction with the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships for the first time.
Frech is qualified to contest the 100m, high jump and long jump should he choose to compete. The World Championships are Sept. 26-Oct. 5 in New Delhi, India.
In the meantime, Frech stars in "Adaptive," which debuts July 28 on Peacock. The three-episode series follows four U.S. Paralympians' experiences at the Paris Games: Frech, Jamal Hill (Para swimming), Courtney Ryan (Wheelchair basketball) and Josie Aslakson (Wheelchair basketball).
"Adaptive is literally everything that a sports doc should be," Frech said. "It's raw, authentic. It's emotional. It's gritty. There's lots of lows and failure and laughter, and then in my case, ultimately, the highest of the highs."
Category: General Sports
