Senior track multi-event athlete Craig Saalfeld qualified for the World Games for the Deaf earlier this month.

In the world of international sports, there are the Olympic Games and competitions for disabled athletes, such as the Paralympics Games, World Games for the Deaf and the Special Olympics.

The World Games for the Deaf were founded in 1924 and have been around ever since.

Saalfeld qualified for the games in the Decathlon and the High Jump.

“I had to send in a proof of performance,” Saalfeld said. “They want three performances from your event. Otherwise you need to show them that you competed.”

Track has been a part of Saalfeld’s life for eight years.

“I have been doing track since my freshman year in high school and I just recently picked up the Decathlon last year,” Saalfeld said.

Aside from having won enough times to be in the ranks of the best in the nation, certain criterion has to be met in order to be eligible for the games.

“You have to have so much hearing loss and I happened to fall in that rank,” Saalfeld said. “You have to have 55 percent hearing loss and I am like 60 percent hearing loss in both ears.”

Saalfeld said he has had hearing problems for the majority of his life.

“I was born with it,” he said. “They first noticed it when I was in kindergarten. The teachers started to notice something so I went and got some tests done and I have been wearing (hearing aids) ever since.”

According to fellow teammate Douglas Marshall, Saalfeld’s hearing problem does not seem to get in his way of his dedication.

“Craig has a real strong work ethic,” Marshall said. “He stays focused and he still has fun in practice but he knows when to be focused and get his work done. He is a good teammate.”

Although Saalfeld is dealing with a recent injury, his teammates say it won’t hold him back.

“I know Craig and I have seen him get injured and come back quick,” Marshall said. “Craig is a fast healer so I think he will be ready.”

“It is pretty big for the program to have someone from Emporia State representing for the Olympics, let alone make that and having a disability” said graduate assistant Cameron Babb, who assists with jumping and multi-events.

According to Babb, Saalfeld is able to overcome obstacles no matter how big or small they might be.

“For him it is not a disability because he does not take it as one at all,” Babb said. “He lives every day like every one of us and actually I have not seen anyone work as hard as he does and sometimes it is too hard because he just does not know when to stop.”

Although qualifying for the World Games for the Deaf is already what many would consider a major accomplishment, Saalfeld has his sights set on the gold.

“Right now the coach told me that my best jump would place first in both events,” Saalfeld said. “So I am shooting for two gold medals.”

Saalfeld said he is taking one step at a time and is focusing on recuperating from his injury and finishing out the outdoor season.

“I am just continuing my track season and my training here and then over the summer I will do some training on my own and go to a couple camps in Texas with the rest of the team,” Saalfeld said.

Doug Irby/The Bulletin

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