Runner Shatters World Record Despite Nerve Condition

Tahmar Upshaw doesn't just love running. He rewrites the record books while doing it.

The Murfreesboro native and Austin Peay student shattered the world record for the T46 800-meter race at a California track meet last month. He beat the mark set at the 2012 London Paralympic Games by three seconds, a massive margin in elite racing.

"The gun went off and I just did what I do in practice every day," Upshaw said. Born with Brachial Plexus, a nerve condition that limits the use of his right arm, he competed in the adaptive athlete category for runners with upper limb impairments.

But here's where the story gets even more interesting. Austin Peay doesn't have a men's track team.

When assistant coach Kenall Muhammad recruited Upshaw, they got creative. Muhammad convinced him to join the men's cross country team, then train for track events and compete "unattached" at meets. Seven other male runners at Austin Peay do the same thing due to funding limitations in collegiate track and field.

"I could also see he was a dog," Muhammad said about recruiting his first adaptive athlete. "So, I knew we wanted him on the team."

Together, Upshaw and "Coach K" mapped out a training plan focused on breaking the record. They identified key competitions, including nationals, and built everything around those dates. The strategy worked better than either imagined.

Why This Inspires

Upshaw's journey to Austin Peay wasn't straightforward. He previously attended Cumberland and Middle Tennessee State University before finding his way to Clarksville. Most athletes might have given up after switching schools twice, but Upshaw kept pushing.

His record-breaking performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational wasn't just about personal achievement. "To show that even with my disability like, he showed he could do it, I think that was really like the exciting part for me," Upshaw said. He wanted to prove something bigger than a fast time.

Now Team USA's Paralympic program is likely taking notice. Upshaw hopes his performance puts him on the radar for upcoming Para track competitions. His coach certainly believes in what's coming next.

"We have big things planned for him," Muhammad said. "I've learned to not doubt Tahmar at all."

Upshaw has already set his ultimate target: the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. His current times are competitive with Paralympic athletes, and he knows the opportunity is real. "I feel like I've been given an opportunity and I would hate to waste it," he said.

From a school without a men's track team to world record holder with Olympic dreams, Tahmar Upshaw proves that limitations are often just starting points.