Emeline Lakrout

"I was declared legally blind at eight years old. Like most eight-year-olds, my priority was moving around--running, monkey bars, capture the flag. I was an energetic kid, and I loved outdoor playtime, no matter rain, shine, snow, or blindness. As I grew older though, I became increasingly exposed to the fact that the world was not built for people like me. In middle school PE, I was hit in the face with balls three times before my gym teacher told me I might just have to sit out the rest of the year. Two years later, I was told I couldn't march in the marching band. Over the course of a few years, I went from being the leader of every playground tag game to begging my high school Assistant Principal to let me avoid taking another gym class. I thought that because I was blind, I couldn't do sports. I thought there were a lot of things I couldn't do. That was, until I started college and joined a student disability advocacy group. For the first time in my life, I met other young disabled people, and I started to question everything about what I was capable of. " Emeline is currently residing in New York City and is a first time competitor for the US National Paraclimbing team. In her own words: I am "a mover and a shaker, I aspire to be both a savvy marketer and a champion for positive change. Now, I love pushing my athletic limits, and I’m testing out all kinds of activities that I used to think were off limits for me. I’m on a mission to show what blind girls can really do." Emeline's favorite adaptive activities include "anything where I feel like I’m flying! My primary sport is rock climbing, but I also tandem cycle. Whenever the opportunity for more adventurous outdoor sports come around I take it! I also love things like horse-riding, whitewater rafting, and flying trapeze!"