Hailey Danz

Started: She took part in her first triathlon in July 2011 in Chicago, IL, United States of America. "Crossing the finish line of that first triathlon fundamentally changed how I saw myself. Up to that point, I identified as a cancer survivor and an amputee. In that first race, I became a triathlete - something that only a small percentage of people who are fully able-bodied can say. If I could do that, I could do anything." (womenshealthmag.com, 18 Jun 2024; teamusa.org, 01 Mar 2016) Reason: "I originally got involved with Para triathlon through Dare2tri, a Para triathlon club in Chicago. I met one of the co-founders when I was interviewing for a summer internship, and she persuaded me to sign up for my first triathlon. I had no real background in swimming, cycling or running, but picked them up all at once. I did my first race a few months later and have been hooked ever since." (triathlon.org, 01 Sep 2019; paralympic.org, 08 Mar 2016) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (KOAA 5 YouTube channel, 29 Aug 2023) Awards: In 2015 she was named Female Para Triathlete of the Year by USA Triathlon. (aroundtherings.com, 25 Feb 2016) Additional Info: PROSTHETIC CHANGE In 2023 she returned to a fixed blade prosthetic, having previously switched to a knee joint in 2019. "[In 2019] it was a huge change that required unlearning eight years of gait training, but I did it because lab tests suggested the knee would be slightly faster, and I was willing to do anything to get that extra speed. The problem is the lab isn't the real world, and what the data didn't capture was the mental energy that went into every step I took. In order for my smaller frame to swing the knee through quickly enough, we had to set it in a really unstable position. Any time there was a slight change in terrain, I had to either slow down or assume the risk of falling. After a long and hard-fought try, I decided to go back to the fixed blade. In my very first run back, I felt an effortlessness I never felt with the knee, and in that moment I just knew. I'm not certain how this decision will affect my race results, but the fact that I'm actually excited to run again is an encouraging start." (Facebook profile, 10 Mar 2023) TRAINING BASE In 2018 she became a member of the US national Para triathlon resident team in Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America. "A team of us have been training together since 2018 [speaking in 2024]. Honestly, the resident team has been a game changer for me. I moved out to Colorado Springs the year after Rio 2016 and lived there in the whole build-up to Tokyo 2020. I honestly love waking up every day and going to training because I know that I'm going to be able to see my teammates. That's really kind of what keeps me going." (womenshealthmag.com, 18 Jun 2024; usatriathlon.org, 12 Feb 2024; USA Para Triathlon Resident Team Instagram profile, 25 Aug 2023; Team USA YouTube channel, 13 Dec 2022)