Jon Brown
2004
Jon was one of the most dominant weightlifters in the 70’s. What many people did not know is that Jon was also an excellent field athlete, throwing the javelin, discus and shot put at multiple competitions. However, his prowess and dominance in weightlifting outshined all of his other athletic accomplishments.
Jon set the national record in 1972 in the over 85 Kilogram Paraplegic Bench Press and led the Team USA weightlifting group to the Paralympic Games in Heidelberg, Germany, winning the silver medal. In 1973, Jon broke his national record in the bench press, then set a world record at Stoke Mandeville. The same year, he travelled to the Pan American Wheelchair Games in Lima, Peru and broke his own world record.
During the 1974 season, Jon again broke the world record with a bench press in excess of 500 lbs. at Stoke Mandeville. In 1975, he broke his world record twice, not only at Stoke Mandeville but again at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. In 1976, Jon again broke the national record at NWG and then led the Team USA as Team Captain at the Paralympic Games in Toronto, where he set a Paralympic record for his class.
In 1977, his banner competition season, Jon set both a national and world record with a lift of 600 lbs., the first athlete to accomplish this feat. In 1978, Jon won gold in both NWG and the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, he was forced to sit out the 1979 season due to recurring and nagging injuries.
He made a comeback in 1980, winning gold at nationals but falling to 4th place at the Paralympic competition in Arnhem, Netherlands. Jon attempted one more comeback in 1983 at the NWG, took third place and decided his lifting career had come to an end at that point.
Jon continued to assist and inspire young lifters, always willing to provide training and competition tips. He was also an advocate in the community for disabled rights, once serving as the Grand Marshal of a parade honoring employment of the handicapped. Jon’s heart was as big as his body.