The World Deaf Athletics Championships and the World Deaf Youth Athletics Championships, held July 18-23 in Taipei, Taiwan, brought together elite track and field athletes from all over the world. As with the World Deaf Volleyball Championships in Tomigusuku City, Okinawa, Japan in June and the U21 World Deaf Basketball Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina in July, there was a sizable contingent of Gallaudet students, alumni, and staff on the United States teams. One former Gallaudet student, the holder of five Gallaudet long-distance running records, represented Sweden.

In the men鈥檚 competition, eight-time All-American Eric Gregory, 鈥�24, won his two best individual events, the 200-meter (21.52 seconds) and 400-meter dashes (46.78 seconds). He set course records in both events. Gregory finished third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.87 seconds, 0.11 seconds behind Gian Marco Andrade Mosquera of Colombia.

In the 4×100-meter relay event, Gregory, along with Jarvis Anderson, Gallaudet student-athlete Gareth Ashton, and Taylor Koss, finished second to Japan with a time of 41.58 seconds. Japan finished at 41.15 seconds. Both teams bested the course record. The U.S. team won the 4×400-meter relay race in 3:15.77, 0.03 seconds faster than Japan.

Liam Painter, 鈥�24, was third in the pole vault at 4.40 meters, behind Adam Nurpeissov of Israel, who set a new deaf world record at 4.55 meters, and Hiroto Kitadani of Japan at 4.50 meters. Current student-athlete Navar Harris was sixth in the shot put with a throw of 12.53 meters, and current student-athlete Ethan Ettienne was seventh at 12.34 meters. Jamal Garner, 鈥�20, was eighth at 12.22 meters. Garner also finished sixth in the discus throw at 37.94 meters. Ettienne was seventh in the hammer throw at 39.39 meters. Kenmarkis Meeks, E-鈥�22, was eighth in the high jump at 1.75 meters.

Otto Kingstedt, E-鈥�19, won the 5,000 meter run with a time of 15:22.67. Kingstedt holds Gallaudet鈥檚 3,000-meter, 5,000-meter, and 10,000-meter outdoor run records, as well as the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter indoor records. Kingstedt set all five records in the winter and spring of 2016.

In the women鈥檚 competition, Gallaudet student-athlete Oceana Brown was fourth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.36 seconds and fifth in the 200-meter dash at 25.66 seconds. Hannah Wetzel, 鈥�24, was fourth in the triple jump at 11.18 meters, seventh in the high jump at 1.58 meters, and seventh in the long jump at 5.12 meters. Brown and Wetzel were the second and fourth runners for Team USA in the 4×100-meter relay race. The team聽finished fourth, just out of medal contention at 50.12 seconds.聽

Team staff included Willard Moers, 鈥�82 & G-鈥�93, specialty coach for weight events; Gallaudet track and field coach Byron Moore, specialty coach for jump events; Lawrence Smith, 鈥�93, specialty coach for relay events; Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame member Rohan Smith, 鈥�91, specialty coach for sprint events; and Gallaudet Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Karen Smith, E-鈥�95, logistics. Retired faculty member Audrey Frank shared responsibility for logistics and handled media relations. Tom McKnight, 鈥�10, was athletic trainer, the same role he holds at Gallaudet. Former employee Dave Frank was head coach. 

Gallaudet track and field coach Byron Moore said, 鈥淏eing a part of this year鈥檚 WDAC coaching staff was truly a great experience. It definitely felt special to have a chance to continue working with my recent graduates from Gallaudet after the tremendous season we had. I am looking forward to continuing on staff for the 2025 Deaflympics.鈥�

(The 2025 Deaflympics will be held November 15-25, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.)

Michael Paulone, 鈥�82, was head coach for the youth competition, and was assisted by Kori Koss, 鈥�18; Erin LaFave, 鈥�16, and Kristin Williams, E-鈥�18.

Congratulations to all who participated!