Trenten Merrill
American Paralympic athlete
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trenten Merrill (born May 18, 1990) is an American Paralympic athlete who specializes in long jump. He represented the United States at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics. Merrill's right foot was amputated after a dirt bike accident.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 18, 1990 |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United States |
| Sport | Paralympic athletics |
| Disability class | T64 |
Event | long jump |
Career
Merrill attended Azusa Pacific University where he competed on the school's NCAA Division II track and field team.[1][2]
Merrill represented the United States at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the men's long jump T44 event and finished in fourth place with an American Record of 6.84-metres.[3]
He represented the United States at the 2019 Parapan American Games where he won a gold medal in the long jump T63/T64 event.[4]
Merrill represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the men's long jump T64 event and won a bronze medal.[5]
He competed in the men's long jump T64 event at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships held in Paris, France.[6]
Personal life
In March 2005 he and a friend were riding in tandem on a dirt bike when they were involved in a collision with a car, and Merrill's right foot was pinned between the dirt bike and car. He had five surgeries to repair the foot, however, it had to be amputated as blood was no longer circulating in his foot after transmission fluid had spilled into the wound during the accident.[7][8] When not competing in athletics, he is also a model.[9] Merrill was set to compete in season 22 of The Bachelorette in 2026,[10] however the season would not air following the release of a video showing that season's Bachelorette, Taylor Frankie Paul, assaulting her ex-boyfriend.[11]