Athletics

Tom has been a unique and accomplished athlete both before and after his 1996 cycling accident. 

By the end of an undefeated, state championship senior season at Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin, Tom was the most decorated diver in school history - and the second highest one-meter scorer in Wisconsin State history.  He was a High School All-American (ranked 6th nationally), a two-time Braveland Conference champ,  a two-time State Sectional champ and a two-time All-Midwest selection. In November of 2022 it was announced that Tom would be inducted into the Nicolet High School Athletic Hall of Fame. 

After four years of diving in the Big Ten at Illinois, Tom traveled to more than 60 countries as one of the world's best high divers (up to 95 ft.). He was awarded the "Mas Bravos" award at the Acapulco Cliff Diving Championships and his trademark Mifflin St. Dive (backward hand stand) was copied the world over. 

After his injury, Tom turned to wheelchair and hand cycle racing. He has completed more than 20 major marathons including Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Detroit, Chicago and Seattle. He is a two-time handcycle champion of his hometown Portland Marathon. 

He has competed internationally in downhill skiing, wheelchair basketball, hand cycling and wheelchair racing. In 2016 he was appointed the swimming coach for the Nepalese Paralympic team. 

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Check out the harrowing story of Tom's ground-breaking reverse double off the Cliffs of Acapulco.

Here's the story of the backward arm stand - or "Mifflin St. Dive."

Take a look at Nepal's first wheelchair basketball league - both men's and women's teams!