Sponsor Rudy Garcia-Tolson

Why you should sponsor me for your next influencer campaign?

- 5x Paralympic Medalist - 4x Paralympian - Swimmer, Runner, Triathlete - IRONMAN - At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, Rudy plans to compete in swimming, track, field, and triathlon. In depth... While Rudy Garcia-Tolson was born with rare, multiple birth defects – a combination of crippling Pterygium Syndrome, a club foot, webbed fingers and a cleft lip and palate - he was also born with an extraordinarily courageous heart and an unbreakable will to endure. From extremely humble beginnings, Rudy spent his childhood living in a trailer park. At age five, after 15 corrective operations with limited results, he told his parents he wanted to move on; he would rather be a double amputee than continue to put up with what his life had become. Shortly thereafter he had both legs amputated above the knee. At eight years old, he told all who would listen that he would swim in the Paralympics. Powerbar listened, and signed Rudy to his first of many endorsement deals. At 10, he became the youngest bilateral amputee to complete a triathlon on his own. The same year, he set his first national record in swimming. Sponsors took notice when his story caught national attention on the Oprah Winfrey show. In short order, Rudy became the primary bread winner in the family…as a professional athlete. Remarkably, at just 13 years old, Rudy realized an usual dream for a child. He bought his first home and moved his family out of the trailer park and into a house. In 2004 he made good on his Paralympic promise, coming home from Athens with a gold medal and a world record. Four years later in Beijing he did the same; another gold medal and another world record. Seeking an even greater challenge, in 2009 he became the first ever bi-lateral above the knee amputee to completean Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). At the London Paralympics in 2012 Rudy brought home a swimming silver medal and competed on the track as well, in both the 100 and 200 meter sprints. At the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016 Rudy plans to compete in the pool, on the track, and in the field (long jump). He is a likely medalist in three events. Though only 26, Rudy is already a polished public speaker an regularly shares his inspiring message of, “A Brave Heart is a Powerful Weapon” to groups, corporations and fellow athletes across the country. He has received both the Arte Courage in Sports Award and Nike’s Casey Martin Award , and has helped the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) raise more the $50 million to help support the athletic dreams of other disabled athletes. Rudy is particularly active with very young children learning to deal with their own physical challenges.