An autistic teenager is gearing up to compete in the T20 1500-meter final at the Rio Paralympic Games 2016 on September 13. Michael "Mikey" Brannigan is the first athlete with a T20 paralympic classification to break the 4-minute mile.
Brannigan finished seventh in the 1500m by 3:57.58, which, when converted, is equal to a 3:40.05. His performance at the 2016 Sir Walter Miler Event in Raleigh, North Carolina on August 5 beat his previous best mile record by six seconds, FloTrack reported.
Brannigan's previous record occurred in July's U.S. Paralympic Trials, where the 19-year-old triumphed at the 1500m with a T20 world record of 3:50.05, according to Runner's World. In that race, Brannigan finished ahead of his closest competitor by more than 40 seconds.
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Brannigan began his career as a runner through the Rolling Thunder Special Needs Program, a non-profit organization that trains athletes who have mental or physical disabilities, the U.S. Olympic Team's website noted. Brannigan didn't exhibit verbal communication until he was five years old, but that changed when he started running at eight with the coaching of Steve Cuomo.
At eight ½ years old, Brannigan is already capable of running on the track for four miles. It was in eighth grade when he joined the Northport varsity team. Sports Illustrated named him as February 2015's High School Athlete of the Month.
Brannigan didn't have a NCAA career because he failed the academic requirements needed to run at the Division I level. But after graduating from Northport High School in 2015, Brannigan is supported by Team USA as a top Paralympic athlete and the New York Athletic Club while the teen is studying at a community college.
Brannigan's mother, Edie, told Runner's World that the goal was to prepare the young runner for the Olympic Games 2020 or 2024. Sonja Robinson coaches Brannigan when he's on the East Coast. Joaquim Cruz, the 1984 Olympic gold medal winner in the 800, coaches Brannigan when he's preparing at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Visa, California.
Brannigan said he wants to "keep progressing," adding that he's "always a good worker and listener," Team USA's website noted. He said he wants to "keep reaching for the stars" with support from his family and friends.
A T20 athlete must have major limitations in his or her adaptive behavior and must possess an IQ of 75 or lower. This particular classification covers people with a variety of diagnoses aside from autism. It should be noted as well that not all autistic individuals classify as a T20 athlete.
