Tharon Drake is an American swimmer. He is the current U.S. record-holder in S11 class in 50m freestyle, 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m and 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley (short course); 50m and 100m breaststroke (short course); 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke (long course). Drake won silver in the 100m breast at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championship. Drake lost his eyesight following complications from a routine vaccination. At the 2016 Paralympic Games, Drake won a silver medal in the 400m Freestyle S11. Drake's time in the finals was 4:40.96, behind USA teammate Brad Snyder. Drake also won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke SB11 with a time of 1:11.50. Drake competed in the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships held in Mexico City, Mexico. Drake won a gold medal in the 400m Freestyle S11 with a finish time of 4:54.30, a gold medal in the 100m Breaststroke SB11 with a finish time of 1:15.70, and a silver medal in the 200m Individual Medley SM11 with a finish time of 2:41.70. Drake is now assistant coach of the Catawba College Men's and Women's Swim Team.

Swimming career

Tharon began swimming at the age of 9. He swam on the

Hobbs High School Hobbs High School (HHS) is located in Hobbs, New Mexico, United States. It had a student population of about 1900 students as of 2017. In addition to Hobbs it serves Monument, Nadine, and North Hobbs. Ralph Tasker coached basketball at HHS ...

and Caprock Swim Team, both in

Hobbs, New Mexico Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the 2020 census, increasing from 34,122 in 2010. Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of L ...

. In November 2007, Drake experienced amnesia that was onset from routine vaccines. It was determined that an existing genetic condition compromised his immune system and his body couldn't fight off the viruses from the vaccines. Through help of medication, he was able to overcome the amnesia. In February 2008, Drake noticed some changes in his vision, and by June 2008, he was totally blind, without any perception of light. After graduating high school in 2011, Tharon continued his path in swimming and qualified as an alternate for the 2012 London Paralympics.US Paralympic Swimming Team named
Team USA. June 17, 2012

References

1992 births Living people American male breaststroke swimmers Paralympic swimmers of the United States People from Canyon, Texas Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships Paralympic medalists in swimming Paralympic silver medalists for the United States Medalists at the 2011 Parapan American Games People from Hobbs, New Mexico Sportspeople with a vision impairment American blind people American male medley swimmers American male freestyle swimmers S11-classified Paralympic swimmers 21st-century American people {{US-Paralympic-medalist-stub

Swimming career

See also

References