Daylen Harrison may seem like an average Salem High School student, but what some don’t know is he is a multi-time gold medal winner in the World Dwarf Games. Born and raised in Salem, this 15-year-old has been competitive his entire life.
The first games that Daylen attended were in 2013, held in Michigan. The games are held for people with different kinds of dwarfism, and are held every four years like the Olympics. This year, Daylen traveled to Guelph, Ontario, Canada for the World Dwarf Games Aug. 4-12. Contestants are split into age divisions, including Future, six-years-old and younger; Junior A, 7- to 11-years old; Junior B, 12- to 15-years-old; Open, athletes of any age; and Masters, 35-years-old and above as of Dec. 31, 2017.
Daylen competed in the Junior B group of the USA team, which included 162 athletes from across the United States of all age groups. There were over 400 athletes and 22 countries represented this year. The USA’s athletic association is called the Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA). Each country holds annual events of its own country’s athletes. The DAAA has a national competition every year held at the same time and place as the Little People of America (LPA) conference.
“Honestly, I think it’s a lot harder to play on a level playing field,” said Daylen. “It’s just different because I’ve always played against average height, and when you go down there (to the games), it’s just a lot more physical. It’s just a whole different ball park.”
Daylen competed against, but also made friends from, USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, and Great Britain.
“Daylen takes these games very seriously,” said his father Jeremy Harrison. “He trains very hard for them.”
This year, Daylen competed in nine events, including badminton singles, badminton doubles, basketball soccer, volleyball, and in track he ran in the 60-meter, 100-meter, 4x60-relay, and the 1,500-meter. He received four gold medals in the 60-meter, 100-meter, basketball, and volleyball; one silver in soccer; and three bronze in badminton doubles, 4x60-relay, and 1,500-meter. Another accomplishment for Daylen this year was breaking the world record in his age division for the Class Two 100-meter with a time of 17.53 seconds.
As if that wasn’t enough fame for Daylen, he has met several celebrities at the World Games. When the Harrisons first checked into the games this year, the check-in woman was Martin Klebba’s wife but they didn’t know that at the time. As she looked over the registration paperwork, she noticed that Daylen had Acromesomelic checked as his type of dwarfism, which is very rare. When Klebba’s wife saw that on the check-in sheet, Jeremy said she got excited and said that they had to meet her husband who has the same type at the banquet later. Come to find out that was Martin “Marty” Klebba. Klebba is known for being an actor in the Pirates of the Caribbean, and Zach Roloff is in the TV show Little People, Big World.
Daylen got to play his favorite sport, basketball with Klebba and Roloff.
To be able to attend the World Games, the Harrison family did a fundraiser activity at the 4-H/FFA Expo where they sold ribbon-fried potatoes. The remainder of the funds came from their pockets. Athletes must purchase uniforms for the games, the entry fee, travel, hotel, and more.
“It’s really an amazing deal getting to watch him in these events,” said Jeremy. “He’s so competitive here at home, and to be able to confirm his athletic ability when you take him and put him on a level playing field with other athletes, and just be able to see his accomplishments, we’re very proud of him.”
Daylen stated that he might try out for the high school basketball team this year, too.
“We will get out and always support him,” said his mother, Melanie Harrison.
“He’s always out playing sports as much as he can,” said Jeremy. “Him and his sister, Shaylee are very competitive at home. Ever since he was born, he’s not just played with regular toys, he’s always had a ball in his hand and has always been fascinated with basketballs.”
“(At the games) It’s neat being able to meet other parents that have the same situation because people with dwarfism, you very rarely see someone else who has it in the same community,” said Jeremy. “There are a lot of people who do have it, but it’s so spread out, so it was nice to be somewhere that people are the same. It’s nice to connect with parents and other families.”
Jeremy stated that they have never really had an issue with bullying. Melanie also said that his classmates have never treated him any different than any other student, regardless of height.
“No one has ever treated him different, because, well, he’s not. Height is just a number,” Jeremy said. “The community has been so accepting of him and supportive of the games. Most of the athletes from back home, they play against average height kids and peers and I think it makes them (dwarf athletes) better and strong when they go and compete on a level playing field.”
“A lot of the kids that do get to play in the World Games, don’t get the chances to play in the home towns,” said Melanie. “So, that’s the chance for them to shine.”
“A lot of people, if they do say things, like what we call the ‘m’ word, midget, people don’t think that’s offensive, but it is,” explained Jeremy. “So, we would like to raise awareness that it is offensive. We would like to say that they prefer the term short-statured, or little person, or by his name really. A lot of people just don’t realize that they are offending, or staring, or something like that, but for the most part, we haven’t had any issues.”
“There’s times when it’s hard, but you just gotta realize this is the life you have, and you wouldn’t want it any other way,” Daylen stated.
