Paralympic sprinter Jerome Singleton at the 2012 Team USA Media Summit in Dallas, May 15, 2012.
Singleton holds degrees in mathematics, physics and industrial engineering. He also happens to be known as “the fastest amputee on the planet.” At last year’s world championships, Singleton became the first man in seven years to defeat South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius in the 100m dash. But, as he made clear in an interview with the Guardian following the U.S. Paralympic Trials in July, he knows that hard work—not merely the memory of past success—is what will earn him a Paralympic medal. “I really trust my coach to put me in a position where I can shine at the Games,” he said. “He’s the expert at what he does and I’m the student, trying to learn.” Given his scholarly background, he should be wearing a Paralympic medal very soon.