Cheri Blauwet

Who is Cheri Blauwet?

Cheri Blauwet is an American wheelchair racer. She has competed at the Olympic and Paralympic level in events ranging from the 100 meters to the marathon.

Blauwet grew up in Larchwood, Iowa, in a farming family. She began racing in high school, when she was recruited by her school's track and field coach. She later attended the University of Arizona, where she was a member of the school's wheelchair racing team, and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in molecular biology. She attended Stanford University School of Medicine and completed her residency including being chief resident in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. She is currently a Fellow in Sports Medicine at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

She began her sporting career as a wheelchair sprinter, but later focused on longer distances. At the 2000 Summer Paralympics, she won a silver medal in the 100 m and three bronzes in the 200 m, 400 m, and 800 m events. She competed in her first marathon in Japan in 2002, and two weeks later won the New York City race, her second marathon. She then went on to win the New York City Marathon twice, the Boston Marathon twice, and the Los Angeles Marathon four times.