WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Abuchi Osuala lines up on the blocks the same way every sprinter does — feet set, hands down, body coiled. But there is a slight lean to the left that tells a story years in the making.
Osuala was born with a brachial plexus injury.
"That led me to have nerve damage, which obviously leads me to not have full control of my arm," Osuala said.
His right arm will never be as strong as his left. He said he can curl roughly 60 to 70 pounds with his left arm and only about 20 with his right. That affects his arm swing on the track — but not his times.
Osuala holds four school records at Wisconsin Lutheran College: the indoor 60, the indoor 200, the outdoor 200, and as part of the 4x100 relay team.
Wisconsin Lutheran College head track and field coach Ken Woodall said the lean is subtle.
"Against other competition you wouldn't have noticed it, but just when he's in the block, you might see him rock a little bit to the left," Woodall said.
Just a year ago, the Paralympics were not on Osuala's radar. Woodall said the early goals were more straightforward.
Watch: Wisconsin Lutheran College sprinter Abuchi Osuala chases Team USA spot at 2028 Paralympics
"Our first goal was okay, let's see if we can win conference. Let's see if we could get anyone to qualify for D3 Nationals," Woodall said.
That changed at a track meet in Michigan, where someone recognized Osuala's potential and introduced him to a path he did not know was available to him.
"As time progressed, and I got connected to more people, I got classified. That's kind of when I knew, yeah, this is a great shot – not only to make the games but also to medal," Osuala said.
His season-best time of 10.72 seconds in the 100-meter dash would have earned him a silver medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
"For me, I never even thought I could make or even run for Team USA or, you know, have that to say in a way," Osuala said.
The 2028 Games are set for Los Angeles, and the prospect of competing on home soil carries extra meaning for Osuala.
"Just be able to represent USA at home – it's a really big thing," Osuala said.
For Osuala, every race is a statement about what is possible.
"It could have been easy for me to say, 'Oh, I am not as good as you guys because my arm is weaker. I can't reach as far and stuff like that.' But that didn't stop me from working hard and trying to be the best in the room," Osuala said.
Osuala heads to New York later this week for USA Nationals. His pursuit of a spot on Team USA will intensify next year as he works towards competing at Worlds — a key stepping stone on the road to LA2028.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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