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Date of Birth: September 14, 1988 Amputation Level: Bilateral, Above the Knee Main Events: Swimming: Breaststroke, Freestyle, Butterfly, Individual Medley Track and Field: Half, Marathon, Triathlon, 5K Competitive Class: S8 / SB7 / SM7 Össur Products: Iceross Dermo®, Iceross® Sport, Flex-Run®,  RHEO KNEE®, LP Vari-Flex ® (opens in a new window)* Nationality: USA

"Having no legs is really a gift," says Rudy Garcia-Tolson. "If I wasn’t an amputee, I probably wouldn’t have the same drive to do what I do.” What Rudy does is spend six or seven hours a day in athletic training, routinely break world records in swimming, compete in triathlons, and tour the country as a motivational speaker to spread his message that “A Brave Heart is a Powerful Weapon.” He's been picked to carry an Olympic torch and named one of People Magazine's 20 teens that will change the world. Oh, and he's buddies with movie star Robin Williams and has appeared on Oprah.

All of that would be a staggering achievement for any young man, but Rudy was born with multiple birth defects: a club foot, webbed fingers on both hands, and a cleft lip and palate. At age five, having already undergone 15 surgeries, he had to choose between life in a wheelchair and walking with artificial limbs. He opted for greater mobility and a full, active life with prosthetics, which necessitated the surgical amputation of both his legs through the knee. Undaunted, he began swimming, then running, and has been winning ever since! By age 15, he had won a Gold medal in the Paralympic Games.

Rudy is able to dream and achieve in large part because of the technologies now available in prosthetics. He uses purposely selected feet from Össur to meet each activity’s needs: the Flex-Run® for track because of its flexibility and light weight. He was also one of the first bilateral amputees to go bionic with two RHEO KNEE's. They are his "every day, everywhere" walking legs and he reports that they make a discernible difference in the quality of his mobility. They make it a lot easier for him to walk up and down stairs, walk faster and slower and to change speeds with greater ease. "I can multitask now," he says. "Talking on my cell phone, carry groceries, and walk down stairs all at once."

While others might be impressed by Rudy because he’s overcome apparent disadvantages, “I don’t ever really think about the fact that I’m an amputee,” he says. “I don’t want to be known as the guy with no legs who inspired everyone; I would just like to be known as a great athlete and someone who is very passionate about what they do.” His stated purpose in life is to be the best. But he also admits that he’s matured over the years and is now beginning to be less concerned with just himself and more about what he can do to increase awareness of the need for better resources and recognition for amputee athletes. “I’m very fortunate being able to train full time for my sport,” he says. “Many world-class Paralympians have to work and then train.” He points out that they put in the same hours and dedication as any Olympic athlete, yet tend to be neglected by the mainstream sports media. He hopes his achievements can impact that situation.

Rudy’s latest endeavor is the IronMan World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. On October 10, 2009 he will line up with the other competitors to prove he is truly an IronMan.

Competitive Highlights: