Femita Ayanbeku

The Background:
Growing up playing basketball, Femita Ayanbeku was no stranger to competition but when she lost her right leg below-the-knee in a car accident at 11 years old the game changed. Through a CAF event in 2015 they both attended Jerome Singleton, U.S. Para athlete, introduced her to the world of Paralympic sports. Even though she had little experience running with a prosthetic, Ayanbeku went on to compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games and place sixth in the 200m. Since then, she has earned bronze in the 200m event and fourth in the 100m event at the 2019 World Championships.  

Away from the track: 
In 2015 Ayanbeku founded Limb-it-less Creations Inc., a non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness and offer support to the amputee community. She is passionate about using her voice to encourage and uplift fellow amputees as they work through their individual journeys. 

In their own words:
“There will always be something in life that tries to hold us back or stop us from being great. But I refuse to ever let anyone tell me I can’t do something.”  

“I absolutely fell in love with running from the day I got my running leg, back in November 2015. I always tell people, when I run, I feel like I have two feet again. It felt so natural. I didn’t want to take it off.” 

“Growing up I never had any other amputees to talk to or be around. For me, personally, being this amputee girl, I just didn’t want that to be the end of my story. Whatever is in your way, whatever barriers or adversities you’re facing, it doesn’t have to be the end of your story.” 

“One thing I love is when people ask me questions. I would rather someone come up to me and ask me a question than to just be stared at from across the room. It helps me understand what people are thinking when they look at me and it gives me a chance to inform people about me, my situation and the amputee community.”

Learn More:
Team USA Page 
IPC Page
Team USA: “Path to Paralympics Was Fast For Sprinter Femita Ayanbeku, But Not Easy”
Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics: “Femita Ayanbeku Is Not Looking Back”
The Enterprise: “I’m Running For Myself– Brockton High Grad Training For Second Paralympics”