Hughes High runner with disability wants to be treated like everyone else

By Michael Carvell

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Langston Hughes High's James Blackburn loves his nickname of "Nemo" so much that even family members have affectionately called him by it.

Blackburn is a middle-distance runner with Erb's Palsy, a condition caused by an injury to shoulder nerves during birth. Blackburn has nerve damage in his left arm, restricting movement and motion.

In races for the Fairburn school, Blackburn lets his left arm droop, while over-exaggerating with the pumping motion of his right arm to establish running rhythm.

"Yes, they call me ‘Nemo' because of my arm, and before I did track, I was on the swim team," Blackburn said with a big smile.

In the animated movie "Finding Nemo," the young fish has a crack in his egg and is born with a small and weak fin, which his parent claims is a "lucky fin."

The 5-foot-4 Blackburn has the same positive attitude toward his lifelong health issue. "I don't have any complaints. And I tend to not let coaches know at first unless it's a problem with them. I don't want my workouts limited.

"I just wanted to be treated like everybody else."

Hughes' track coach, Kenneth Rochester, has been won over. While coaching football in the fall, Rochester would sometimes look over at the kid circling the track with the unorthodox running style.

"James doesn't make any excuses for himself," Rochester said. "In our early spring training for track, we were lifting weights. There was James in the middle, trying to squat as much as the other guys.

"I was like ‘James, what are you doing?' He said, ‘Coach, I got this [lift]. People think because of my disability, I can't do things. But I can do this.' So I let him go. Sure enough, he did it. He did all the intense training exercises like his teammates."

Blackburn always has loved sports. He said it gives him "peace of mind." It also keeps him on a disciplined daily schedule, which helps with his grades (3.0 GPA). Blackburn, a sophomore, competed in soccer and swimming in middle school, choosing to focus on track at Hughes.

At last weekend's Monroe Area Invitational, Blackburn was the first leg of the 4×800 relay team, which finished third. He also runs in several individual events, including the 800 (best time 2:15) and 1,600 (4:58).

"When it comes to first impressions, you might not think James can do a lot of things," Rochester said. "But after you let him go and treat him like anyone else, he is like any other runner.

"He has really turned into a leader for our first-year program. When I tell him what needs to get done with the guys in practice, you can make sure it will happen. James pushes himself, and pushes others ... just a great young man."