Ron

Williams

In 1989, Ron Williams was diagnosed with bone cancer.  In the years he should have spent in middle school, he instead went through chemotherapy and the amputation of his left leg below the knee. Through competitive cycling and community involvement, Williams aims to increase awareness of people with disabilities.

Williams graduated from Georgia College in 1997 with a degree in general business.  In college, he was a member of the national championship Men's Waterski Team and still holds world records in disabled slalom and ski-jump events. After college, he went to work for Southwire Company as its sales representative for Alabama, a position he has held ever since. It was also after college that he began focusing his athletic abilities on the bike. He competed in the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, and earned silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Games in Athens. Four years later, Ron competed in his third Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.

Aside from competing in both able-bodied and Paralympic cycling races, Williams serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Camp Sunshine, a camp for kids with cancer in Atlanta. Williams enjoys delivering his message of "Setback, Survival and Success" to various business groups and schools. He also enjoys hiking, traveling and spending time with his wife Brooke.

For more about Williams, visit his website at http://www.ronswilliams.com/.

Major Achievements:

• 2011: Third place, Time Trial (C4) – U.S. Paralympics Road Cycling National Championships, Augusta, Ga.
• 2008: U.S. Paralympic Team member, Cycling - Beijing, China
• 2004:  Silver medal, Team Sprint; bronze medal- Combined Road Race and Time Trial - Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece
• 2004:  ESPY award nominee, Best Athlete with a Disability