SOLON — Erin Kerkhoff was just a third grader when she realized her passion and love for running. This epiphany came to her at track and field day at Solon elementary school, where Brent Sands ran the event. Unbeknownst to Kerkhoff, Sands would help coach her for the next 14 years as she achieved more than she ever dreamt of.
From the outside, Kerkhoff was just a little girl who was inspired by Allyson Felix, one of the all-time great female American sprinters. But Kerkhoff’s life was always a little different. Since birth, she has dealt with a visual impairment caused by an optic nerve atrophy. She has 20/300 vision in her right eye and 20/400 in her left. This means that she cannot see the big “E” when taking a regular vision test at the doctor’s office.
Since that moment on track and field day, Kerkhoff had an escape from her life whenever the stress piled on her. Even with all the success and outside noise being a Team USA athlete, she still finds herself using running as a way to take a break from life. Kerkhoff said, “[Running] is my free zone, it’s my space. Whenever I am stressed about an exam or anything like that, I know I just want to go run. It is just where I love to be.”
Kerkhoff quickly became a star in the track community. While running for the Lady Spartans, Kerkhoff was an 11-time state medalist and anchored the 2019 4×400 meter relay team to a state championship. She broke the school record in the 4×400 meter relay and the 400-meter dash. Her 4×400 meter relay record still stands as the fastest time in Solon girls’ track history.
Her records are impressive considering the disadvantage she has when competing with other athletes. She can only see a couple feet ahead of her, which can make it difficult to navigate the track during the race. She cannot see the finish line until she is about to cross it and can struggle to see the other runners, especially during the start of the race when they are in a stagger. To combat this, Kerkhoff will walk and jog the track before her races, memorizing different lines, exchange zones, and where to cut if necessary. Kerkhoff – laughing – said, “At least I do the 400 so I am always going around in a circle, I always know where I’m going to end.”
With her illustrious high school resume, Kerkhoff decided to run at the University of Northern Iowa. It was during this transition that she discovered that she could compete in Para track at the highest level.
Kerkhoff was offered the opportunity to run at the Paralympic U.S. trials for the 2020 Paralympics. She was on the fence about running with Team USA at first, but after the Olympics were delayed because of COVID, she decided she would give it a shot.
Kerkhoff qualified for the Paralympics after winning silver in the 100-meter and 400-meter dash at the trials. Then at the Tokyo Paralympics, Kerkhoff proved she belonged, placing eighth in the 400 and 15th in the 100.
Since then, she has competed at the international stage multiple times for the Team USA Paralympic team. Now she leaves for Paris this week with the hope of bringing back gold for Team USA. Kerkhoff said, “I just want to go out there and do the best I can. I want to get a PR [personal record] and win gold. That’s the goal right now, that’s what I’m trying to focus on. Which sounds crazy to say.”
This time around at the Paralympics, it will be a more normal experience for Kerkhoff. At least, as normal as an Olympic experience can be. Without all the guidelines for COVID like there were in Tokyo, Kerkhoff will be able to socialize more with other athletes and will have time to sightsee with her family.
Even though running has always been her way to escape, she never truly accepted herself for who she is until last year at the Para Track World Championships. This meet was where she won her medal on the world stage as she placed second in the 200-meter dash and fourth in the 400-meter dash. Kerkhoff said, “I finally realized that I just don’t need to hold back from my vision loss, I don’t need to hide it.”
On Monday, August 19, the Track Guy Foundation hosted a “send-off” event for Kerkhoff and her fellow teammate and Eastern Iowan, Jessica Heims. Iowa track legend Mike Jay interviewed the two Paralympic athletes in front of family, friends, and fans at Field Day Brewery in North Liberty. Sands also took the stage to talk about Kerkhoff’s courage and strength needed to not just be an extraordinary athlete but also an extraordinary person.
Kerkhoff will run the 100-meter dash and the 400-meter dash this year in Paris. The 100 preliminaries will take place on September 3 and the 100 final will be later that day. The preliminary round for the 400 will be on September 5 and the final will be on September 7.