Brenda is a
world-class physically challenged athlete born with Spina
Bifida, a congential birth defect resulting in an
incomplete closure of the spine. It left her partially
paralyzed from the waist down. In addition to Spina
Bifida, Brenda
also developed degenerative arthritis which has been
taken care of by total knee joint replacement. She grew
up in
Rockville, Maryland, where she currently lives and works
as a Graphic Designer.
Brenda discovered athletic competition in 1989. At first
it was a means for exercise, but later became an outlet
for
high level competition. It started when she won her first
wheelchair race. This was the beginning of her search for
fulfillment of her childhood athletic dream. Brenda
quickly became an accomplished wheelchair racer winning
numerous honors and events. Her original intentions were
to compete in track at the IX Paralympic Games in
Barcelona, Spain. However, Brenda's qualifying times in
swimming were so good she became a contender for both
teams. Due to her full-time job Brenda did not have
enough time to train for both sports. She decided to
concentrate
solely on swimming enabling her to push her body to the
limit and prepare to perform her best as a member of the
U.S.
swim team at the 1992 and 1996 Paralympic Games.
Athletic
AchievementsSwimming
•
Paralympic Games 1996, Atlanta, Georgia
–
Silver Medal, 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
– Bronze Medal, 50 meter freestyle
– Sixth 100 meter freestyle
– Three personal bests
•
International Paralympic Swim Trials 1995, Atlanta,
Georgia
–
Silver Medal, 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
– Silver Medal, 50 meter freestyle, personal
best
– Bronze Medal, 100 meter freestyle
– Bronze Medal, 100 meter backstroke
•
National Championships 1995, 3 Gold Medals
• 3 first place finishes, Appalachian Wheelchair
Games, all national records, June 1995
• 4 first place finishes, Maryland Wheelchair
Games, May 1994, 1995
• 2 Gold Medals, 14th Maccabiah Games 1993,
Israel
• Paralympic Games 1992, Barcelona, Spain
–
Gold Medal, World Record, 4 x 100 meter freestyle
relay
– Bronze Medal, 50 meter freestyle
– Fourth 100 meter freestyle
– Three personal bests
•
National Championships 1992, 3 Gold Medals, all
personal bests
• Paralympic Qualifier 1992, 3 Gold Medals, all
personal bests
• Regional competition 1991, 6 first place
finishes
Track &
Roadracing
• 4 first
place finishes, Appalachian Wheelchair Games, track,
2 personal bests, June 1995
• 4 first place finishes, Maryland Wheelchair
Games, track, May 1994, 1995
• 64 first place finishes, road racing, 1990 -
1995
• Gold Medal, 1/2 Marathon, 14th Maccabiah Games
1993, Israel
• World Championships, track, 1991 England
–
Fourth place 100 meters
– Fifth place 200 meters
– Sixth place 400 meters
• Marine
Corps Marathon
–
First place 1991
– Second place 1990
•
Regional competitions, track, 1991
– 10
first place finishes from 100 meters to 5,000
meters
– 6 regional records and 1 national record
Other
Awards/Achievements
•
Wheelchair Sports, USA Athlete of the Year, 1995
• Physically Challenged Swimmers of America
Athlete of the Year, 1995
• Appalachian Wheelchair Games, Charles A. Ryder
Sportsmanship Award, June 1995
• Induction into Greater Washington Jewish
Sports Hall of Fame, November 1994
• Maryland Wheelchair Athletic Games,
Outstanding Athlete, Womens Athletics, Swimming and
5K Open Award, May/June 1994, 1995
• Award of Outstanding Achievement from the
Maryland State House of Delegates, March 1994
• Reader's Digest feature article titled
"Born to Race," January 1994
• Award of Merit for Outstanding Marylander with
a Disability, 1993
• Proclamation from County Council of Montgomery
County, MD., September 1992
• Award of Recognition & Appreciation from
Government of Montgomery County, Maryland, June 1992
• Outstanding Female Athlete, Maryland
Wheelchair Athletic Games, 1991
• Division title holder for 1990 and 1991
Maryland's racing series
Community
Work
Currently involved
in reaching out to the disabled and non-disabled
community by heightening their awareness of a
disabled persons abilities rather than their disability.
She has been involved in public speaking since the
beginning of
her athletic career, to individuals, as well as groups,
organizations and the school system. A member of the
Montgomery County Speakers Bureau and Speakers Bureau at
her place of employment, she makes herself available
to break down the barriers and misconceptions between the
communities by using sports as the connecting block.
A member of APOC's (Atlanta Paralympic Organizing
Committee) Speaker's Bureau, active in the promotion of
the
1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games thru their Washington, D.C.
and Atlanta based offices.
|