| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Athletics (T13) | ||
| Competitor for United States | ||
| Paralympic Games | ||
| Silver | 2008 Beijing | 800m |
| Parapan American Games | ||
| Bronze | 2007 Rio de Janeiro | 800m |
Peter Gottwald Jr. is a Paralympian athlete from America competing mainly in category T13 middle distance events.
He competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. There he finished fifth in the men's 800 meters - T13 event and finished eighth in the men's 1,500 meters - T13 event. He also competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There he won a silver medal in the men's 800 meters - T13 event, finished tenth in the men's 1,500 meters - T13 event and went out in the first round of the men's 5,000 meters - T13 event
In 2003, Paralympian Peter Gottwald Jr. graduated from California High School, where he holds the school record in the 5K (15:08) and is second-fastest in the mile. Retired U.S. Paralympian Vince Martin and his cross country coach, Steve Armstrong, introduced Gottwald Jr. to the Paralympics. Vince Touey, a coach from Widener University, along with his father, Schuyler Gottwald Sr., helped him out tremendously. Without those two, his schooling at West Chester University and training for his first Paralympic Team would not have been possible. His father drove him everywhere for college, training and races, and Coach Touey took time to write his workouts.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games, Gottwald Jr. proved that all the hours of training and hard work eventually pay off. He rewarded everyone who contributed to his Paralympic dream by winning a silver medal in the 800m T13.
Gottwald graduated from West Chester University in Pennsylvania with a teaching degree in the field of health and physical education and will continue on to get his M. Ed.: School Health at the same college.
After running in Beijing, China Peter Gottwald Jr. is now focusing on his studies at West Chester University, but still running and keeping in shape. Although Peter is taking time off from his running career he is running many time trials at a very fast pace showing that he can still come back and be strong if need be. Peter's 1:49.41 800 meter time trial on a 166 meter indoor track and his 7:52.08 3,000 meter road time trial in 2009 proves that he is a strong athlete who can go the distance.
Peter would always say: "A dream can become your reality if you have the willingness to get up and go forward"
"Remember that one person can only fill the glass, which is an example of life, and one day it will be filled to the top and knowing that you filled it yourself will give you that reality of true accomplishment." - Peter S. Gottwald Jr.