A New Jersey mom of four — paralyzed from the neck down while competing last year in the grueling Spartan Race in CitiField — is suing the organizers of the extreme obstacle course, as well as sponsors Reebok and NBC Sports.
Amparo Colon, 40, filed suit in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday over the life-altering spill she took at the three-mile competition in the Mets home stadium on May 9, 2015.
In the suit, Colon says she was about to bypass one of the obstacles — a set of monkey bars seven or eight feet high — and opted to instead complete the required 30 burpee exercises.
But a Spartan Race volunteer “encouraged and demanded” she cross the bars by riding his shoulders, the suit says.
The volunteer lost his balance and took a tumble – taking the pretty brunette with him, the suit says. She landed on her neck and suffered a fracture to her spine that has left her in need of a motorized wheelchair.
Colon’s attorney April Gilmore said the Morris County resident is in aggressive physical therapy and has regained some use of her left hand — but that there’s no telling whether she’ll ever walk again.
“This should’ve never happened. It’s only because a volunteer from Spartan Race provided her assistance that quite frankly she didn’t ask for,” said Gilmore.
Spartan Races are held all over the country and are popular for their dozens of intense obstacles, including jumping through fire, climbing ropes in mud pits and jumping over walls.
All participants must sign liability waivers prior to competing but Gilmore maintains they’re unenforceable under state law.
“While she executed the waiver, she had no expectation that someone would interfere with her ability to run the race,” the lawyer said.
Colon, who trained with pals for the Queens course, had never competed in a Spartan race before last year.
She worked in a dentist’s office prior to the tragic accident.
“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for her but she does what she can to maintain a positive attitude,” said Gilmore.
Spartan Race, Reebok and NBC didn’t return messages.