Jerel Lee goes about his business as every athlete does. He works hard and prepares for his day on the track for Hopkinsville High School.
And he does it with only one arm.
Lee is a junior member of the Hopkinsville High track and field team and has run cross country — a sport he plans to resume in his senior year.
Lee just missed qualifying for the state track meet on Tuesday in the long jump. His best jump of 19-feet, 2-inches was a personal best and good for third place. His best jump was just 3.5 inches out of second place and an automatic qualifying spot.
He also ran a leg on Hopkinsville’s 400-meter relay team that finished third in the region. They missed qualifying for state by .06 seconds.
Lee isn’t letting the near misses get him down. He already has his sights set on 2023.
It’s been a journey for Lee that began on a July day at a laundry mat in Jackson, Tennessee when he was 10-years-old. He reached into a washer machine to retrieve a blanket thinking the cycle was complete. It wasn’t and Jerel’s left arm became entangled in the blanket that began to spin when the drum began to spin. Jerel lost his arm but has never lost his drive to succeed or his spirit.
He ran a 6:01 mile two months before COVID hit. His long jump Tuesday was a personal best by over a foot.
His coach, Pablo Sanchez, says Lee is the Swiss army knife of the track team. He’s put him in several relays during the season in addition to the long jump.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who you are. If you put your mind to it, you can do it,” Lee said.
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