From Tokyo to Paris: Liza Corso brings home bronze, represents Team USA for second time

Despite stress fracture, Honors student Corso wins bronze medal to become a two-time Paralympic medalist.

Kim Chaudoin  |  09/01/2024

For Liza Corso, running isn't just a sport—it's a journey of self-discovery. She finds joy in the simple act of lacing up her shoes, pushing her limits and … using her talent to represent her country. 

A standout on Lipscomb University’s women’s cross country and track & field teams, Corso recently traveled to Paris to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paralympic Games. She is coming home with her second Paralympic medal as she won a bronze medal on Saturday, Aug. 31, in the women's 1500m T13 race. Corso was the only American in the race, which she led until the end. Ethiopia's Tigist Mengistu won gold and Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi won silver. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Corso won silver in the event.

After the race, Corso revealed in an Instagram post that she competed with a stress fracture in her femur. She found out about the fracture right after she qualified, which meant she couldn't run for six weeks leading up the games.

"Right after I qualified for Paris, I found out that I had a stress fracture in my femur. This meant I wasn’t allowed to run in the 6 weeks leading up to the games," shared Corso in an Instagram post following the medals ceremony. "Even with this diagnosis, I knew I still wanted to find some way to compete. I put my head down and got to work. To be completely honest, this was some of the hardest training I’ve done physically but also mentally."

"It was terrifying knowing that I was going to be racing on the biggest stage with barely any running beforehand. I was constantly pushing doubt and negative thoughts out of my mind and instead leaning on God. I kept reminding myself that He never sends us into a situation alone," she continued. "I just needed to trust the process, knowing that His plan is far greater than my own. He’s definitely been teaching me a lot of patience and trust in the past few months. I leaned on my support system to get me to the starting line and I am beyond grateful for each and every one of them. It truly takes a village."

Prior to leaving for Paris, Corso expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the Paralympics again, this time with the added experience and the chance to share the moment with more of her family, as the Games would not be under the shadow of COVID-19 restrictions as they were in Tokyo.

"I feel that this time around, I am a little more prepared by having more international racing experience," explained Corso, who is double majoring in psychology and nutrition with a minor in exercise science. "It is an honor and super special to race with USA across my chest. I am also reminded that I am racing for the country as a whole, but also my community and the people who support me."

“We are very proud of Liza for earning the opportunity to represent Lipscomb and Team USA at the highest level,” said Nick Polk, director of track & field at Lipscomb, before the Games began. “It is not easy to balance her Lipscomb academic and athletic commitments alongside her Paralympic opportunities, but she has done a wonderful job. Our entire team is excited to watch her compete for a medal in Paris.” 

The Newmarket, New Hampshire, native’s love for running began at an early age. She first participated in 5k road races with her family before joining her elementary school's cross country team in fourth grade. Corso continued to pursue the sport through middle and high school, eventually discovering the Paralympics in her sophomore year. 

"I love running because it provides me an outlet to chase my goals and see how hard I can work to accomplish them," said Corso.

Corso qualified for the Paralympics in the T13 classification, the least impaired class of three categories for vision impairments in track and field events (known as athletics in the Games). Born with a chronic genetic disorder called albinism, Corso’s eyesight was affected by her disease from birth and she is legally blind.

As she prepared for her second Paralympic appearance, Corso said she hoped to inspire other young athletes with visual impairments to pursue their dreams.

"I am very passionate about inspiring other young athletes with a visual impairment or any other challenge," Corso said. "I want them to know that they shouldn’t let anything hold them back and to pursue their goals. Running with this in mind has been a huge motivating factor and something that I want to do throughout my entire running career. Another big motivating factor for me is to glorify God through my running career and be a light in the community."

Corso's journey to this point has been marked by consistent success both on and off the track. After the 2021 cross country season, Corso was named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team and qualified to compete at the NCAA Division I South Region Cross Country Championship, in which she has qualified to compete for the past three years. In her sophomore season, Corso was named to the ASUN Second Team All-Conference for cross country. Last season, she earned a personal best time in the 6k with a time of 19:54.9 at the NCAA Division I South Region Cross Country Championships to finish 37th overall and earn a spot at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

In track & field, Corso also found success as she was named 2023 ASUN Outdoor Third Team All-Conference and recorded seven top-10 finishes over the season. Corso finished fifth overall in the 1,500m at the ASUN Outdoor Championships, earning a trip to the NCAA East Preliminary Round. Her achievements extend to the classroom as well, where she was named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-American Team.

The middle-distance runner, who has two years of eligibility remaining, said her time at Lipscomb has been instrumental in her development as both an athlete and an individual. 

"I have absolutely loved my time at Lipscomb," she said. "I have been able to grow not only academically and athletically but also in my faith. I have been surrounded by some amazing people and have made lifelong friendships. I love being in a place where I have a strong Christian community to support me every step of the way."

As she stepped into the international spotlight once more, Corso carried with her the hopes and support of the entire Lipscomb community. "I am just super grateful for the Lipscomb community," Corso reflected, "and I hoped I represented them well."

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kicked off Wednesday, Aug. 28 and run through Sunday, Sept. 8. During this time, the city of Paris will welcome more than 4,400 Paralympians from around the world to compete in 22 different sports. In total, there will be 549 medal events with Paralympic competition spanning 17 different venues.