Meet Noah Malone, recent high school grad, Fishers resident, track and field star, and member of Team USA for the 2021 Summer Paralympics. With a 100-meter dash (¼ of a lap around the track) of 10.74 seconds and a 400-meter dash (1 lap around the track) of 49.38 seconds, Noah earned his spot on the team and will be traveling to Tokyo to compete for gold.
As a junior high student, Noah and his family discovered that he has Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, which is an inherited variant of vision loss that usually prompts quick and permanent eyesight damage. Although a challenge, this didn’t stop him from competing in the sport he loved. With dedication and persistence, Noah continued to run and has accomplished nothing but great things since. Winning the IHSAA state championship his junior year of high school and partaking in world championships in Dubai was just the start of his incredible career as a runner.
Noah has loved the experience and environment of being a member of Team USA. While running in the Paralympics trains him to be a better collegiate athlete at Indiana State University this fall, Team USA is also preparing him for what may come after college, at the international level.
When running, one of the biggest challenges Noah faces is the mental side of staying focused. “You never know what environment you’ll be running in or what distractions come up that you can’t control,” he explains. “Staying focused mentally leading up to and during the race, that’s probably the hardest part.”
Upon arriving in Tokyo, Noah is looking forward to achieving his goal of winning gold in his events. While there is much to explore in Tokyo, he knows that there is a lot of hard work and training ahead to prepare for his races. He is excited to be overseas and in a new city while having the opportunity to represent his country and compete in two events for the sport he loves.
His motivation for being a Paralympic Olympian stems from the many influences in his life, particularly his encouraging family. “My family has been the most supportive out of anyone,” he says, “but I also can’t leave out the people from school and my coaches. My family has been there the whole way, and they’re excited for me just as much as I’m excited for myself. I want to make them proud.”
Q&A
Side of Town: Brooks School Park Area
Favorite Local Restaurant: Jack’s Donuts
Favorite Fishers Park: Flat Fork Creek Park
Favorite Way to Spend a Saturday: Going to Flat Fork Creek Park and hanging out with friends and family.
Addy Miller is a former college intern for the City of Fisher’s Public Relations department. She is originally from Claypool, Indiana. As a senior at Purdue University, Addy is majoring in PR & Strategic Communications and minoring in English and Art & Design. Outside of her internship, you can find Addy serving drinks at SunKing Brewery, going to the gym, getting coffee, or hanging out with her friends and family. She loves the communal feeling of Fishers and is excited to learn more about the city. Follow her on Instagram.