Troy Davis Inducted into 2024 Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame

Troy Davis, from Lake Oswego, Oregon, has been inducted into the National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame in the summer competition category.

 

The Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to summer and winter adaptive sports. The award in the Competitor category recognizes one individual (an athlete or coach) in summer sports who has been active in international competition. Race results, team participation, innovative coaching techniques, and event promotions are considered for this category.

 

Davis was born with a brittle bone disease, osteogenesis imperfecta. Most of his bones were broken during birth. “The doctor told my parents not to expect me to live through the night. If by chance I did make it, I would never be ‘normal’,” Davis said. “But he did not know my mom and he didn’t know me or my will and determination.”

 

While growing up in Arizona, Davis would be introduced to wheelchair sports in 1989 by Coach Gregg Baumgarten and would started racing in his everyday chair until he could afford a racer. Davis would earn numerous national records in the sprints (100 meter and 200 meter) within that decade. In 1994, he would compete at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, winning a bronze medal in the 4 X 100-meter Relay. In 2000, Davis would be a member of Team USA for the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia,

 

When the University of Arizona started its Wheelchair Athletics Team, Davis was recruited for and a member of the initial program. Since 1998, the University of Arizona has become one of the finest collegiate wheelchair track teams in the country. Davis was not only a stellar athlete on campus, he would also make the Dean’s List and earn a degree in management information systems and am on the Dean’s List. He would also be the recipient of the Gene Autry Courage Award for excellence in athletics, an award presented annually to both a professional and national amateur athlete exhibiting outstanding courage in overcoming challenges while pursuing athletics.

 

In addition to being an athlete himself, Davis would begin coaching the Arizona Heat in the mid 2000’s and grew the team to 32 athletes. He has also been inducted into the City of Mesa Sports Hall of Fame.

 

Subsequently, Davis moved to Oregon to become the Senior Director of Marketing Automation and CDP Engineering at Nike. Since living there, he has started a track team in Portland, beginning with six athletes and successfully approached the Prefontaine Classic to include wheelchair divisions in the race.

 

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to be inducted into the Move United Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame. This recognition is not just a celebration of my personal achievements, but a testament to the power, perseverance, determination, and the incredible support system that has surrounded me throughout my journey,” Davis said.

 

The Hall of Fame was created to honor individuals who have had an influential role in the field of adaptive sports as well as athletes who have excelled in it. To learn more about the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame, including a list of past award recipients, visit https://www.moveunitedsport.org/sports/adaptive-sports-awards/.