Austin Osner, who was born with amniotic band syndrome, which prevented his arm from growing, is training to compete in taekwondo at the Paralympic Games that will be held in Paris.
The condition hasn’t stopped Austin, who has won several tournaments across the country against two-armed competitors, but instead encouraged him to keep going.
“Ever since then, I lived one-hand dominant, and I have never known any other way,” Osner said.
Between doctor appointments, training and tournaments, Austin is a busy pre-teen. He makes sure he prioritizes education by studying through an online school called K12 to help stay on top of his busy schedule.
Austin’s mom praises the self-defense sport for helping him with overall well-being, a good sense of himself, and the knowledge that he can take care of himself.
“I feel like I’ve grown up a lot through the sport,” he said. “So it has made me more disciplined, makes me feel stronger, and more confident in myself.”
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