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Nike Awards Professional Contract To Athlete With Cerebral Palsy

  Justin Gallegos, a runner at the University of Oregon has become the first professional athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign with Nike after the … Continue reading Nike Awards Professional Contract To Athlete With Cerebral Palsy

By Rejoice Ewodage
Updated October 11, 2018
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Justin Gallegos

 

Justin Gallegos, a runner at the University of Oregon has become the first professional athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign with Nike after the sports brand surprised him with a contract.

He thought he was just finishing another cross-country race but little did he know, a representative from the shoe giant, was waiting at the finish line to offer him a pro contract.

Justin is chasing his dream of breaking 2 hours in the 1/2 marathon.

 

An emotional moment for Justin.

 

The Oregon-based company has worked with Gallegos in the past on a running shoe that features a zipper-and-strap system to help runners with disabilities.

The company captured the emotional moment they surprised him with the announcement of a full-time Nike professional athlete contract.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Today on world Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, I reached a milestone in my running journey! Today I made Nike history and became the very first athlete with Cerebral Palsy to sign a contract with Nike! You don’t realize how realistic and emotional your dreams are until they play out before your very eyes! Signing this contract was a huge success for me and I would not have made it without my friends and family and teammates! This was perhaps the most emotional moment in my seven years of running! Growing up with a disability, the thought of becoming a professional athlete is as I have said before like the thought of climbing Mt. Everest! It is definitely possible, but the odds are most definitely not in your favor! Hard work pays off! Hundreds of miles, blood, sweat, and tears has lead me here along with a few permanent scars! But the journey is damn sure not over!!! Looking back, I would guess there is only a few select people who would see me were I am today! I have gone through just about everything in the book to be where I am today! I was once a kid in leg braces who could barely put on foot in front of the other! Now I have signed a three year contract with Nike Running! Trust the process! And most of all trust in God! God is good! Thank you to all my friends, family, and teammates on running club, and now a brand new atmosphere on teammates with Nike! This moment will live forever! Thank you everyone for helping show the world that there is No Such Thing As A Disability! #ProfessionalAthlete #SWOOSH #Nike72 #NikeTrackandField #NikeXC #ThereIsNoFinishLine #StrongerEveryMile #NoSuchThingAsADisability #NikeRunning #Limitless #Breaking2 Video Credits: @elevation0m

A post shared by Justin “Magic” Gallegos (@zoommagic) on

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