Athlete Spotlight: Nate Riech

Sport: Track & Field 1500m T38

Hometown: Chandler, AZ

Education: University of South Alabama

ASICS Athlete Since: 2023

On social media, Nate Riech often goes by Nate Graywolf. Graywolf is his middle name, his training mentality for success, and his alter ego that tends to appear at the starting line of high-stakes races. This summer, the Graywolf is in position and ready to defend his title at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Nate was born in Fresno, CA in 1995 into a family of athletes: his mother was a Canadian pole vaulter competing at Fresno State University, his stepfather played baseball for the University of Southern California and the San Francisco Giants minor league team, and his grandfather was a professional hockey player with over 300 games in the NHL. He holds dual citizenship between the U.S. and Canada and spent most of his childhood in Phoenix.

At 10 years old, the trajectory of Nate’s life permanently changed when he was struck in head by a golf ball. The impact caused bleeding in his brain and paralysis on the right side of his body. After treating the initial injury, his doctors weren’t certain if he would be able walk again, play sports, or even graduate from high school. Determined to prove them wrong, Nate spent the following months re-learning how to walk—and eventually, to run. The accident and recovery changed his perspective on running as a sport. “At first, [my motivation] was to gain as much function as I could in my right leg,” he says, “Then it became: to be the best.”

Defying his prognosis, Nate graduated high school with academic honors and two letters in cross country & track. He continued to push himself in college, where he competed against runners without disabilities. But racing with a coordination impairment—classified as T38 under Para athletics guidelines—was a challenging experience. With the encouragement of his family, he transitioned to Para athletics in 2018. He set two world records at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix later that year and went on to win an Olympic gold medal in the T38 1500m in Tokyo in 2021.

For Nate, being a Para athlete isn’t just a way to compete, but a chance to make a greater impact. He’s on a mission to elevate Para athletics in Canada and to be an advocate for athletes with invisible disabilities. “If somebody has an invisible disability, I hope that my story can give them some inspiration [to] know they can still accomplish those goals they set for themselves.”

Nate’s next stop will be in Paris to represent Canada at the Paralympic Games. Join us in cheering him on, along with the rest of our incredible ASICS Athletes!