Boston Marathon

By Jennifer Brown

The newspaper headline referred to us as "able-bodied cheaters." A race organizer was quoted as saying we "came to the race in a
fraudulent way."

After achieving qualifying times at the Las Vegas Marathon, walking in to register at the Boston Marathon, starting the race in our racing wheelchairs, pushing past every checkpoint and cresting "Heartbreak Hill," my roommate Kevin Smith and I crossed the finish line at the 104th Boston Marathon -- only to be disqualified by race officials because we do not have disabilities.

Once sitting in the chair, I am no different from my competitors in the Open category. The sport classification system ensures that people with like abilities compete with each other.

I believe the rules that disqualified us are discriminatory and outdated. If there is no physiological advantage, why should any group be banned from competing? How powerful it could be for increasing awareness and dispelling discrimination to have a sport in which athletes both with and without disabilities compete on equal ground.