Ezra Frech facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ezra Frech

Personal information
Born	(2005-05-11) May 11, 2005 (age 19) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	150 lb
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Para-athletics
Disability class	T63
Event(s)	Long jump High jump 100 meters
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	High jump T63: 1.97 m (6 ft 5.43405512 in) (2024, WR) Long jump T63: 7.05 m (23 ft 1.43405512 in) (2024, NR) 100 m T63: 12.06 s (2024)
Medal record Para-athletics Representing  United States Paralympic Games Gold 2024 Paris 100 m T63 Gold 2024 Paris High jump T63 World Championships Gold 2023 Paris High jump T63 Silver 2024 Kobe High jump T63 World Junior Championships Gold 2019 Nottwil High jump T63 Bronze 2019 Nottwil Long jump T63 Bronze 2019 Nottwil 100 m T63 Parapan American Games Silver 2019 Lima High jump T42-47/63-64 Silver 2019 Lima Long jump T63/64

Ezra Frech (born May 11, 2005) is an American track and field athlete who competes in high jump, long jump and sprinting events. He is a two-time Paralympian, having competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and won two gold medals at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. He also won two silver medals at the 2019 Parapan American Games. Frech is a motivational speaker and disability rights advocate.

Early life

Frech was born in Los Angeles, California, to mother Bahar Soomekh, an actress born in Iran and raised in Los Angeles, and father Clayton Frech, an American of German heritage. He has two younger brothers, Gabriel and Elijah.

Frech was born without most of his left leg (missing a knee and fibula) and missing fingers on his left hand. He received his first prosthetic leg when he was 11 months old. When he was 2 years old, Frech had surgery to remove his lower left leg and transplanted a toe from his amputated foot onto his left hand at Boston Children's Hospital.

Frech is a 2023 graduate of the Brentwood School. In February 2024, he became the first above-the-knee amputee to commit to an NCAA Division I track and field team at the University of Southern California.

Career

As a child, Frech played basketball, baseball, soccer, and karate before focusing on track and field when he was 8 years old. His first track meet was in 2013 at the Endeavor Games in Edmond, Oklahoma, where he broke several national youth records and was inspired to continue in track and field. His father was also inspired at the Endeavor Games to create a similar event in Los Angeles, naming it the Angel City Games.

Frech was a 2014 finalist for Sports Illustrated Sportkid of the Year.

Frech's first international meet was at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships, where he won one gold and two bronze medals. He won two silver medals at the 2019 Parapan American Games.

Frech was the youngest athlete to compete at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai. He made the finals in all three of his events, but did not medal.

In 2021, at the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Frech placed 5th in the high jump T63 event with a personal best of 1.80 m (5 ft 10.74114174 in) (missing the podium by 3 cm) and 8th in the long jump T63 event with 5.85 m (19 ft 2.18996063 in).

At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, Frech won the gold medal in high jump T63 and set a new world record at 1.95 m (6 ft 4.64665355 in). He also competed in the men's long jump T63 event.

At the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, he placed 2nd in the high jump T63 and 4th in the long jump T63.

Frech broke his own world record in high jump T63 at the 2024 USA Paralympic Trials with a jump of 1.97 m (6 ft 5.43405512 in). He also placed first in the long jump T63, breaking the U.S. record with a jump of 7.05 m (23 ft 1.43405512 in).

Frech competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, winning gold in the 100 meters T63 with a time of 12.06 seconds, and gold in the men's high jump T63 on his first jump at a height of 1.94 m (6 ft 4.25295276 in).

Philanthropy

In 2006, Frech’s family founded Team Ezra to provide financial resources to organizations that serve people with physical disabilities. Frech started speaking to schools at the age of 4 to raise awareness for people with impairments as part of his organization's project.

In 2013, Frech, his father, Clayton Frech, and family and friends founded Angel City Sports to provide free, year-round access to sport training, equipment, and competitive opportunities for kids and adults with physical disabilities. Angel City Sports hosts one of the largest adaptive sporting events in the country, the Angel City Games, as well as events for veterans, first responders, and youth.

Competition history

International competitions

Representing the  United States

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result	Notes
2019	World Para Junior Championships	Nottwil, Switzerland	1st	High jump 15-16	5.075 m (16 ft 7.67814961 in)	N/A
			1st	Long jump 15-16		N/A
			3rd	100 m 15-16	13.88 s	N/A
	Parapan American Games	Lima, Peru	2nd	High jump T42-47/T63-64	1.74 m (5 ft 8.37893701 in)	N/A
			2nd	Long jump T63/T64	5.43 m (17 ft 9.65452756 in)	N/A
			7th	100 m T64	13.82 s	N/A
	World Para Championships	Dubai, UAE	7th	High jump T63	1.74 m (5 ft 8.37893701 in)	N/A
			8th	Long jump T63	5.45 m (17 ft 10.44192914 in)	N/A
			8th	100 m T63	13.67 s	N/A
2021	Paralympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	5th	High jump T63	1.80 m (5 ft 10.74114174 in)	N/A
			8th	Long jump T63	5.85 m (19 ft 2.18996063 in)	N/A
2023	World Para Championships	Paris, France	1st	High jump T63	1.95 m (6 ft 4.64665355 in)	N/A
			4th	Long jump T63	6.64 m (21 ft 9.29232284 in)	N/A
			6th	100 m T63	12.45 s	N/A
2024	World Para Championships	Kobe, Japan	2nd	High jump T63	1.85 m (6 ft 0.70964567 in)	N/A
			4th	Long jump T63	6.58 m (21 ft 6.93011811 in)	N/A
	Paralympic Games	Paris, France	1st	High jump T63	1.80 m (5 ft 10.74114174 in)	WR PR NR PB
			1st	100 m T63	12.06 s	PB
			5th	Long jump T63	6.58 m (21 ft 6.93011811 in)	N/A

National competitions