In the summer after high school, doctors told Darrell Claytor a disease might force him to reconsider becoming a police officer like he’d planned.
Eighteen years later, Claytor has not only proved those doctors wrong — he’s also reached elite status among police and firefighters across the world.
“I’ve seen death’s door,” Claytor said. “Being mediocre just isn’t enough for me.”
Last month, Claytor earned a gold and a silver medal at the Olympic-style 2016 U.S. Police and Fire Championships in San Diego. His gold medal qualified him to represent Team USA at the World Police and Fire Games in Toronto next year.
Claytor, now a University of Akron police officer, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis — a disease of the colon — shortly after graduating high school. He spent the summer of 1998 in a hospital and recovered after surgery, but the ordeal left him weak.
“I thought if I bust my butt, I can do whatever I want,” Claytor said. “It took me years and years to get myself back together.”
And he exceeded expectations. After he was chosen to compete from more than 50 officers by the Ohio USPFC Ambassador Program, Claytor competed in the bench press and push-pull events at the games, held from June 18 to 25.
His gold medal came from the push-pull event, in which he pressed 375 pounds and dead-lifted 585 pounds for a grand total of 960 pounds.
He earned a silver medal in the bench press, in which he lifted 375 pounds again — but he came in just under the gold medalist, who exceeded his score by 5 pounds.
The scores are impressive, but even more so when compared to the 90 pounds he could barely lift after he was released from the hospital two decades ago.
But Claytor said his physical fitness is about more than overcoming his doctors’ expectations.
“As police officers, our fitness dictates our performance on the job and therefore the safety of others,” he said. “If I’m not in the best shape, the safety of the public is on the line.”
Aside from improving his job performance and becoming healthier, Claytor said getting into shape has also taught him valuable life lessons.
“You’ve got to step out of your comfort zone to better yourself,” he said, “and that applies to everything in my life.”
Contact reporter Nick Glunt at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ.