Rayven Sample

Started: He took up athletics during his freshman year of high school. (express.adobe.com, 12 Aug 2023) Reason: He originally played football [soccer] as a child. He was encouraged to switch to athletics by his high school coach. "My head coach in high school, David Nelson, was helpful. He guided me to make it to college. He took me on my official visit to Bucknell [University] and was willing to use a day off. He said, 'If it is important to you, it is important to me'. All the coaches and people like that are why I focused on track and field." (express.adobe.com, 12 Aug 2023) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (express.adobe.com, 12 Aug 2023) Additional Info: FAMILY He was raised by his grandparents from when he was a baby. His father died when Sample was age nine and his mother was not in the picture, and he called his grandmother 'mom'. His grandmother passed away on the day that he began university in 2020. He had promised her that he would compete at the Paralympic Games. "I've always had different reasons of why I've raced, but in this past year [speaking in 2021], there's always been the addition of mom [his grandmother]. I want to be able to do well for her memory and be able to kind of honour the promise that I made to her." (ny.milesplit.com, 12 Jun 2019; wnep.com, 08 Jul 2021)