Grace Norman

Started: After first trying mini triathlons in Ohio, United States of America, she began competing in elite Para triathlons in 2014. (teamusa.org, 27 Jun 2021) Reason: She comes from a sporting family, and was inspired to pursue Para sport after attending the 2012 US Paralympic Trials in Indianapolis, IN, United States of America. "I grew up in a small town and went to a small Christian school and there was no one really like me that I'd ever seen, no one with a prosthetic limb. I grew up not knowing any Paralympic athlete. But in Indianapolis that day I saw people like me and I was really inspired. I was able to talk to some of the athletes and that really piqued my interest to be a Paralympian. It became real." She later was inspired to try Para triathlon after her father took up triathlon. "Watching him race was super cool because it was three different disciplines. I thought, 'That will be fun to try'." (cedarville.edu, 10 Jan 2024; daytondailynews.com, 11 Jul 2021; mydaytondailynews.com, 09 Jul 2016; xeniaword.com, 28 Aug 2013) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, and to compete at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. (usatriathlon.org, 25 Apr 2024) Milestones: She was the youngest athlete to win a medal in triathlon at the first two editions of the Paralympic Games to feature the sport [2016 and 2020]. She was age 18 years and 186 days when she claimed gold in the women's PT4 event in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: She was named the 2015 Female High School Track Athlete of the Year by US Paralympics. (teamusa.org, 03 Sep 2015) Additional Info: FUTURE PLANS In 2020 she graduated with a degree in nursing from Cedarville University in the United States of America, and she plans to work as a nurse following her retirement from sport. "If for some reason you can't follow your dream [to be a top athlete], if you're injured or something, you have to have something to live off of. I want to be a nurse because I love helping people and I also know it's a way I can support myself." (daytondailynews.com, 11 Jul 2021; teamusa.org, 27 Jun 2021; daytondailynews.com, 20 Sep 2019)

Sporting Relatives: Her mother Robin competed in distance running for Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, United States of America, her father Tim has participated in masters swimming and triathlon events, and her older sister Bethany has competed for the Cedarville University athletics team in Ohio, United States of America. (mydaytondailynews.com, 09 Jul 2016; teamusa.org, 22 Oct 2015)