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Winning championships is hard enough with all five senses. But these amazing deaf athletes overcame an incredible disadvantage to become champions.
Several famous Olympians, NFL players, and basketball champions are deaf. Some of these sports stars were born deaf while others became hearing impaired after bouts of illness. But whether they grew up coping with hearing loss or had their important sense taken from them later in life, these professional athletes know a thing or two about conquering hurdles.
Who is the most famous deaf athlete? Matt Hamill tops our list. MMA fighter Matt Hamill has been deaf since birth. He was the subject of the 2010 movie entitled The Hammer.
Want to know more about athletes who are deaf? Check out the slideshow below, and prepare to be impressed.
http://www.ranker.com/list/athletes-who-are-deaf/people-in-sports, sports, people in sports,
Bonnie Sloan
Bonnie Sloan became the first deaf player in NFL history when he played four games at defensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.
Chris Colwill
Olympic diver Chris Colwill has 60% hearing loss. He says, "I know how to put myself into focus. I'm really good at blocking out noises anyway. It definitely helps me more than it hurts."
Jim Kyte
Jim Kyte was the first legally deaf person to play professional hockey. He co-founded the Canadian Hearing Impaired Hockey Association and started the Jim Kyte Hockey School for the Hearing Impaired.
Kenny Walker
Former Denver Broncos' defensive lineman Kenny Walker became deaf at age two after suffering from meningitis. He went on to come the first deaf player to have played in the Canadian Football League and one of only three to have played in the NFL.
Matt Hamill
MMA fighter and National Collegiate Wrestling Championion, Matt Hamill, has been deaf since birth. He was the subject of the 2010 movie entitled The Hammer.
Miha Zupan
Slovenian professional basketball player Miha Zupan has been deaf since birth. He became the first deaf player in the Euroleague in 2007.
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings was born with hearing impairments in both ears. She said, "in the classroom kids could make fun of me for being different. On the soccer field (my first sport) and eventually the basketball court, they couldn't. I outworked them, plain and simple. Eventually, I was better than them."
Tony Ally
Olympic diver Tony Ally suffers from congenital partial deafness.
David Smith
Olympic volleyball player David Smith was born nearly deaf. He wears hearing aids and reads lips to communicate with his teammates.
Derrick Coleman
The Seattle Seahawks' Derrick Coleman became deaf when he was three years old. He is the first deaf offensive player in the NFL.
Clik here to view.
Winning championships is hard enough with all five senses. But these amazing deaf athletes overcame an incredible disadvantage to become champions.
Several famous Olympians, NFL players, and basketball champions are deaf. Some of these sports stars were born deaf while others became hearing impaired after bouts of illness. But whether they grew up coping with hearing loss or had their important sense taken from them later in life, these professional athletes know a thing or two about conquering hurdles.
Who is the most famous deaf athlete? Matt Hamill tops our list. MMA fighter Matt Hamill has been deaf since birth. He was the subject of the 2010 movie entitled The Hammer.
Want to know more about athletes who are deaf? Check out the slideshow below, and prepare to be impressed.
http://www.ranker.com/list/athletes-who-are-deaf/people-in-sports, sports, people in sports,
Bonnie Sloan
Bonnie Sloan became the first deaf player in NFL history when he played four games at defensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.
Chris Colwill
Olympic diver Chris Colwill has 60% hearing loss. He says, "I know how to put myself into focus. I'm really good at blocking out noises anyway. It definitely helps me more than it hurts."
Jim Kyte
Jim Kyte was the first legally deaf person to play professional hockey. He co-founded the Canadian Hearing Impaired Hockey Association and started the Jim Kyte Hockey School for the Hearing Impaired.
Kenny Walker
Former Denver Broncos' defensive lineman Kenny Walker became deaf at age two after suffering from meningitis. He went on to come the first deaf player to have played in the Canadian Football League and one of only three to have played in the NFL.
Matt Hamill
MMA fighter and National Collegiate Wrestling Championion, Matt Hamill, has been deaf since birth. He was the subject of the 2010 movie entitled The Hammer.
Miha Zupan
Slovenian professional basketball player Miha Zupan has been deaf since birth. He became the first deaf player in the Euroleague in 2007.
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Catchings was born with hearing impairments in both ears. She said, "in the classroom kids could make fun of me for being different. On the soccer field (my first sport) and eventually the basketball court, they couldn't. I outworked them, plain and simple. Eventually, I was better than them."
Tony Ally
Olympic diver Tony Ally suffers from congenital partial deafness.
David Smith
Olympic volleyball player David Smith was born nearly deaf. He wears hearing aids and reads lips to communicate with his teammates.
Derrick Coleman
The Seattle Seahawks' Derrick Coleman became deaf when he was three years old. He is the first deaf offensive player in the NFL.
