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Date of Birth: April 28, 1984 Amputation Level: Below the Knee Main Events: 100m, 200m, High Jump & Long Jump Competitive Class: T44 / F44 Össur Products: Flex-Foot Cheetah®, Flex-Run™, Modular III™ & Vari-Flex® (opens in a new window)* Nationality: USA |
Soaring to new heights seems effortless to Jeff Skiba. Not only has he cleared a record-breaking 6’ 10 3/4” in the high jump event, but he is also the first Paralympic athlete to compete at the U.S. Indoor Championships – U.S. Track & Field able-bodied national championship event.
Born without a fibula in his left leg due to fibular hemimelia, doctors amputated his leg below the knee when he was less than a year old.
Jeff’s congenital defect hasn’t prevented him from great achievements. In the sixth grade, Jeff tried out for track on his first day at school and so began his athletic career. In high school Jeff joined the track team. At his first meet, he cleared 6’2” in the high jump event.
Jeff has consistently placed first, second or third at every high jump event, the majority of which have been able-bodied meets. Not only does he frequently beat his competitors, but the heights he reaches have matched able-bodied world records, as well.
“My goal has always been to be the best, not just the best amputee. I work harder to be better than everyone else… including the able-bodied. My multistep process includes training on the track - sprint and conditioning – and also working with sport psychologists and nutritionists. Without everything in place, I am not going to be the best. You don’t just want to work on the physical side. You have to put everything together to maximize your potential,” said Jeff.
His biggest surprise, since becoming professional, is how technical the training and competing are, and how much goes into planning. “It’s a full time job just to be at this level,” he added.
Personal determination and support from others can only take you so far when you are an amputee. The other part of the equation is state-of-the-art prosthetics. Jeff wears the Flex-Foot Cheetah® & the Flex-Run™ for the sprinting track distances and long jump events. Jeff also wears the Flex-Foot® Vari-Flex® from Ossur for several activities, including the high jump event, basketball, and everyday mobility. To break his own world record (2.10m) in the F44 high jump event at the Paralympic Championships in Marietta, GA, Jeff wore the Flex-Foot Modular III™ from Ossur, an extremely lightweight and durable, energy storage and release prosthesis.
Jeff continues to train at the Olympic training Center in Chula Vista, CA for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
Competitive Highlights:
2008 |
Paralympics, Beijing: |