Leeper tries to remain ahead of the curve

With International Paralympic Committee suspension ending in June, double-amputee sprinter partnering with Oklahoma-based Scott Sabolich Prosthetics and Research in quest to achieve dream of making able-bodied Olympics in Tokyo

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Patrick “Blake” Leeper won’t be eligible to return to competition until June 21, but the 2012 Paralympic 400-meter silver and 200-meter bronze medalist is already getting a head start toward pursuing his career goal of competing in the able-bodied Olympics in 2020 in Tokyo.

Leeper, 27, is still serving a suspension after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine at the 2015 United States Paralympic Championships. The original suspension handed down by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was for two years, but later reduced to one year because of Leeper’s cooperation with authorities.

The International Paralympic Committee didn’t comply with the reduction by USADA and Leeper’s case was presented before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

After qualifying to compete in the Paralympics by finishing second to Jarryd Wallace in the 100-meter final – despite losing his right prosthetic leg before he crossed the line – Leeper had his appeal with the international court denied to participate in Rio de Janeiro.

Leeper, who finished second in the 400 behind South Africa’s Oscar Pistorious and also secured bronze in the 200 in the T-43 category – double below knee amputation – at the 2012 Paralympics in London, has partnered with Scott Sabolich Prosthetics and Research in Oklahoma to create new blades.

Sabolich enlisted the assistance of Otto Bock HealthCare in Germany and the Minnesota-based Wiggle Your Toes company to manufacture Leeper’s blades. Leeper lives and trains in Los Angeles, but plans to visit Sabolich in Oklahoma City as necessary in the future in order craft the ideal prosthetic legs for competition.

Leeper, who was born without legs as a result of a congenital condition, has been competing with prosthetics since age 18. He captured T-43 silver medals in the 100, 200 and 400 at the 2013 IPC World Championships in Lyon, France.

Pistorious remains the only double amputee to compete in track in the able-bodied Olympics.