Léon Schäfer

Léon Schäfer (born 13 June 1997) is a German Paralympic athlete who competes in mainly sprinting and long jump events at international level events and is a current world record holder in the men's long jump T63. He has represented Germany at the 2016 Summer Paralympics was in fourth place at the men's long jump T42 where he narrowly missed the bronze medal and will be representing Germany at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.[1][2][3]

Léon Schäfer
Schäfer in 2017
Personal information
Born (1997-06-13) 13 June 1997
Hanover, Germany
Home townBremen, Germany
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Country Germany
SportParalympic athletics
DisabilityLeg amputation due to bone cancer
Disability classT42, T63
Medal record
Paralympic athletics
Representing  Germany
World Championships
2017 LondonMen's 4x100m relay T42-47
2019 DubaiMen's long jump T63
2019 DubaiMen's 100m T63
2017 LondonMen's long jump T4

When Schäfer was twelve years old, he went ice skating and fell and skidded along the ice. He noticed that a bump was visible on his right leg that he injured after his fall on ice, he went to see a doctor and got a biopsy of his shin bone and two months later, it was revealed that he had malignant bone cancer. After the diagnosis, he started chemotherapy and they operated on the affected bone part of his shin and inserted an iron rod but his foot didn't accept the rod and it developed gangrene and he ended up having part of his right leg to be amputated.[4]

References
  1. "Leon Schaefer - IPC Athlete Bio". ipc.infostradasports.com. 7 August 2020.
  2. "Athletics Top Team - Leon Schaefer". TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. 7 August 2020.
  3. "Leon Schafer - Team Deutschland (in German)". Team Deutschland. 7 August 2020.
  4. "Leon Schaefer interview (in German)". Spox. 6 January 2020.
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