Dennis Connors

Started: He began cycling in 2016 with Project Hero, a non-profit organisation that focuses on mental wellbeing for military veterans. He cycled recreationally until 2019, when he attended his first Para cycling event. (dennisconnorsusa.com, 13 Aug 2023) Reason: He was encouraged to take up the sport by US Para cyclist Shawn Morelli. (teamusa.com, 06 Aug 2023) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (dennisconnorsusa.com, 13 Aug 2023) Additional Info: CLIMBING He was a member of the US national rock climbing team before he acquired his impairment. In 2020 he was working as an instructor at an adaptive climbing clinic when one of his students suggested he should compete in climbing again, and in 2022 he won a US national title in Para climbing. "I was essentially a pro climber [before he acquired his impairment]. All of my friends were pro rock climbers and they stuck with it and I was like, 'I'm going to go in the Marines'. I really had given up on rock climbing. I thought that all I had was riding the trike, that is what it was going to be basically. When I am cycling, I have more people around me and I need to think about more things to compete. When I climb, it is about my body moving, and that is it. It's a good mix with my cycling, because I can get so much out of both sports - but in different ways." (dennisconnorsusa.com, 13 Aug 2023; kptv.com, 17 Apr 2023; usparacycling.org, 01 Apr 2022; Facebook page, 28 Mar 2022) MILITARY VETERAN He entered the United States Marine Corps as a linguist and served from 2003 to 2012. "I worked counter-narcotics, so I went to South America and then the Iraq War happened and in 2007 I got sent there." (dennisconnorsusa.com, 13 Aug 2023; teamusa.com, 06 Aug 2023; kptv.com, 17 Apr 2023) FURTHER EDUCATION He has studied for a master's degree in parks, recreation and tourism at the University of Utah in the United States of America. (dennisconnorsusa.com, 13 Aug 2023; teamusa.com, 06 Aug 2023)