Paralympian Rudy Garcia-Tolso spoke to students at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School , and “his message of faith, determination, positive thinking and belief oneself served as an inspiration to our students,” said Carlos Barquin, Belen Jesuit Athletic Director.
Throughout his morning presentation, Rudy told students about how he lost both legs, overcame challenges and maintained a positive attitude. He encouraged students to remain positive and stay focused on their goals. Photos are available for use by the media, click here.
Media Opportunities- October 24:
- 2:45 pm he will speak to all the athletes in the school gymnasium.
- 3:30 pm, he will swim with the Belen Jesuit swimming team.
- 4:45 pm, he will run in practice with the Belen Jesuit Cross Country Team.
Belen Jesuit is located at 500 SW 127th Avenue in Miami.
Rudy Garcia-Tolson (24) is an athlete on the United States Paralympic team. He competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens and in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing in swimming. Most recently, Rudy swam in the 2012 London Paralympics and won a Silver medal, 200m individual medley
Rudy will also be competing alongside athletes at the Nike Factory Store Halloween 5k Inside Dolphin Mall on October 28. The race will benefit the Li’l Abner Foundation. The event will be produced by US Road Sports and Entertainment Group, producers of the ING Miami Marathon and the Escape to Miami Triathlon; for more information visit, www.runmiami.com.
The Jesuits founded Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in 1854 in Havana, Cuba. In 1961, when Belen and all private schools were confiscated by the new political regime, the school was re-established in Miami that same year and has grown over the last five decades. Currently the enrollment is nearly 1,500 male students in grades 6 to 12 and over six thousand alumni. For the SEVENTH consecutive year, Belen Jesuit has been named one of the Top 50 U.S. Catholic High Schools by the National Catholic High School Honor Roll.
