Tommy Chasanoff is a sports information assistant at NCAA Division II Florida Southern College, located in Lakeland, Fla. Last week he competed for the USA Team at the ParaPan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and captured four medals in track – two gold (800-meters and
400-meters) and two silver (100-meters and 200-meters).
Chasanoff, 24, who has a form of cerebral palsy, won the 400- and 800-meter race in the T36 category, setting meet records in both events. Chasanoff ran 2:30.90 in the 800 and 1:01.81 in the 400.
Chasanoff, who ran cross country and track at Webber International University, took home silver medals in the 100- and 200-meter races. The medals were his first international awards. Chasanoff will continue to train to get ready for the US Trials June 28-July 1, 2012 in Indianapolis as he attempts to qualify for the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Main photo (above), courtesy of Florida Southern.
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Mocs' SID staffer earned double gold at ParaPan American Games
Not many college sports information offices can say they have a double gold medal-winner on the staff, but Florida Southern College can make that claim.
Tommy Chasanoff, an assistant in the FSC SID Office, competed fo r the USA Team at last week's ParaPan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and won four medals in track - gold in the 800-meters and 400-meters and silver in the 100-meters and 200-meters.
“It was an incredible meet for me and winning my first international medal and first gold medal made it very special,” said Chasanoff.
Chasanoff started the week by running a personal best 13.39 in the 100-meters. He followed that performance by winning his first gold medal in the 800-meters with a time of 2:30.90 that set the ParaPan American meet record.
He ran his second personal best of the week in the 200-meters with a time of 27.23 and finished the week by winning his second gold medal and setting the ParaPan American meet record in the 400-meters with a time of 1:01.81.
“It was great to see how far the training has come this season,” said Chasanoff. “Now it's time to keep working hard and look ahead to London.”
Chasanoff will continue to train to get ready for the US Trials June 28-July 1, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana, as he makes a bid to qualify for the 2012 Paralympics in London.
At Guadalajara, the USA track and field team finished the week with 56 medals overall, including 25 gold. The USA was third in the overall medal count with 132, including 51 gold.
Chasanoff graduated from Webber International in 2009 with a dual degree in sport management and marketing. He ran cross country and track all four years at Webber. He is in his third year working at Florida Southern as an assistant in the sports informat ion office. His main responsibility has been covering men’s lacrosse and assisting with baseball, golf, tennis, and soccer.