GVSU alumnus; Mathematics, Secondary Education, B.S. ’09

During Chris Hammer’s time at GVSU, he earned five All-American honors in cross-country/track and was a member of nine GLIAC Championship teams.

It was after his collegiate career when Hammer, a congenital below-elbow amputee, was introduced to the world of para sport. He made his debut representing the United States in Para Track in 2011. He would go on to compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in track before transitioning to the sport of triathlon. In his 12 years as a triathlete, Hammer has competed in more than 50 international Paratriathlon events, including three more Paralympic Games (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024). After narrowly missing the podium in Rio and Tokyo, Hammer won the gold medal at the Paris Paralympic Games at 38 years old. Hammer is the first and only American paratriathlete to have met the criteria to compete against professional triathletes in long-course triathlon racing. He is a 2022 inductee into the GVSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Outside of the sport of triathlon, Hammer has earned an M.S. in sport administration from Eastern Washington University, as well as a Master of Business Administration and a Ph.D. in sport psychology from the University of Utah. Hammer and his wife, Amy, have two daughters, Peyton and Brooklyn.