{"id":266552,"date":"2022-04-22T18:51:12","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T23:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=266552"},"modified":"2022-04-21T23:27:03","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T04:27:03","slug":"marathon-runner-first-athlete-down-syndrome-sponsorship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/marathon-runner-first-athlete-down-syndrome-sponsorship\/","title":{"rendered":"Marathon runner is first athlete with Down syndrome to get an official sponsorship"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Marathon runner and Ironman athlete Chris Nikic has become the first athlete with Down syndrome to receive an official sponsorship. Nikic, who competed in the Boston Marathon on Monday, was sponsored by Adidas. In addition, race officials have promised to always hold Nikic’s bib number, 321, for a neurodivergent athlete. The number 321 represents March 21, which is World Down Syndrome Day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I see what Adidas has done for him and I see what the Boston Marathon is doing for him, they\u2019re really not doing it for him per se, they\u2019re doing it for all those other parents and giving them hope,\u201d Chris’s father Nik told WBZ-TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chris agreed. \u201cHe\u2019s absolutely right. This is not about me. it\u2019s about everyone that needs to be included,” he said, explaining how he wants others to feel. “Because if Chris Nikic does the Boston Marathon, I can do it too!\u201d<\/p>\n