Erik

Hightower

Quick Facts

• Born with spina bifida, Hightower has been wheelchair racing for more than a decade
• He started at age eight after his parents learned about the sport at a conference for the Spina Bifida Association
• He didn’t take to it right away but eventually found success, competing at the 2008 and 2016 Paralympic Games
• He has lived at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Center since 2014 and married U.S. teammate Kym Crosby in September 2018
• Son of Debra and Richard Hightower
• Has a brother, Richard Hightower IV
• Hobbies include model building, playing sports and video gaming, watching movies, fishing, sport card collecting.

World championships

Most recent: 2019 – gold (4x100-meter universal relay), 6th (100-meter)

Years of Participation: 2006, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019

Medals: 2 (1 gold, 1 silver)

Paralympic Experience

• 3-time Paralympian;
• Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, 9th (100m T54 - Men)
• Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, 7th (100m T54 - Men), 14th (400m T54 - Men)
• Paralympic Games Beijing 2008, 5th (4 x 400m Relay T53-54 - Men), 11th (400m T54 - Men), 12th (100m T54 - Men), 13th (200m T54 - Men)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2019 – gold (Universal Relay - Mixed), 6th (100m T54 - Men)
• Years of participation: 100m T54 - Men 2006, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019; Universal Relay - Mixed 2019; 200m T54 - Men 2006, 2013, 2015, 2017; 400m T54 - Men 2013, 2015, 2017; 800m T54 - Men 2015; 4 x 400m Relay T53-54 - Men 2013; 4 x 100m Relay T53-54 - Men 2006
• Medals: 2 (1 gold, 1 silver)
• Gold – 2019 (Universal Relay - Mixed)
• Silver – 2006 (4 x 100m Relay T53-54 - Men)