Kyle Maynard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kyle Maynard
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| Born | March 24, 1986 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Motivational speaker, author, No Excuses CrossFit gym owner |
| Awards | 2004 ESPY-Best Disabled Athlete, National Wrestling Hall of Fame, GNC's Worlds Strongest Teen, Presidents Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, U.S. Jaycees Top Ten Outstanding Young Americans. 2012 ESPY-Male Athlete with a Disability |
Kyle Maynard, born on March 24, 1986, is an amazing American speaker and author. He is also a mixed martial arts athlete. Kyle is famous for being the first person with four amputated limbs to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. He did this without using any artificial limbs. Kyle also started a gym called No Excuses CrossFit.
Contents
Kyle's Early Sports Journey
Kyle was born with a rare condition called congenital amputation. This means his arms and legs did not fully develop. But this did not stop him from playing sports!
When he was 11, Kyle played football as a nose tackle. He later became a wrestler in high school. In his senior year, he won 36 matches! He also became very strong through weight training. He was even named GNC's World's Strongest Teen. He could bench press 240 pounds 23 times!
In 2004, Kyle won an ESPY Award for Best Athlete With A Disability. He also appeared in magazines like Vanity Fair. Kyle received the President's Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. He went to the University of Georgia and joined their wrestling team. Soon, he left college to share his story and become a speaker. He gave motivational speeches and appeared on TV shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show.
No Excuses Book
In 2005, Kyle wrote his autobiography called No Excuses: The True Story of a Congenital Amputee Who Became a Champion in Wrestling and in Life. This book became a New York Times Bestseller! It reached number 12 on the list.
After his book came out, Kyle was honored in two wrestling halls of fame. These were the Georgia State Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Oklahoma. In 2007, he was named one of the U.S. Jaycees Top Ten Outstanding Young Americans.
No Excuses CrossFit Gym
In 2008, Kyle Maynard opened his own gym. It is called No Excuses CrossFit. This gym is in Suwanee, Georgia. It focuses on intense CrossFit workouts.
Kyle's MMA Career
In 2005, Kyle started training in mixed martial arts (MMA). He wanted to become a fighter. In 2007, he was not allowed to fight in Georgia. So, he chose to fight in Alabama, where MMA rules were different.
His first amateur fight was on April 25, 2009. He lost this fight to Bryan Fry.
In 2010, a documentary film was made about Kyle's MMA journey. It was called A Fighting Chance. The film was later released on DVD. Part of the money from DVD sales went to help wounded military veterans.
MMA Fight Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 0 | 0 |
| By submission | 0 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0-1 | Bryan Fry | Decision (unanimous) | April 25, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Auburn, Alabama |
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
In 2011, Kyle announced a big plan. He wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro without any artificial limbs. To get ready, he trained in many places. These included Stone Mountain and Blood Mountain in Georgia. He also trained in Colorado and Arizona.
Kyle worked with his expedition co-leader, Dan Adams. They tested special equipment. This included welding sleeves and rubber bicycle tires. These were attached to Kyle's body with strong tape. Later, a company called Orthotic Specialists helped. They made custom equipment with special soles. These were based on molds of Kyle's arms and legs.
The climb was also meant to help wounded American military veterans. Kyle's team included former U.S. military members with injuries. The mission also gave $25,000 worth of medical supplies to a school in Tanzania.
The group started their climb on January 6, 2012. They planned to take 16 days. But on January 15, 2012, Kyle made history! He became the first person with four amputated limbs to climb Mount Kilimanjaro without help. He crawled all 19,340 feet in just 10 days! In 2012, he won his second ESPY award for this amazing achievement.
Nike Commercial
In August 2016, Kyle appeared in a commercial for Nike. It was part of their "Unlimited" series. This video has been watched over 1.5 million times!
See also
In Spanish: Kyle Maynard para niños
