Travis Gaertner

Started: He began taking Para cycling seriously in 2017. (geekwire.com, 27 Jul 2018) Reason: He represented Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympic Games in 2000 and 2004, winning two gold medals. After retiring from the sport, he started looking for ways to maintain his fitness. "Handcycling is a great sport for those who are able-bodied and those with disabilities to improve their cardiovascular health, increase upper-body strength, compete, and ride with friends and family. While this started out more as a hobby, my competitive nature kicked in after winning the Portland Marathon in 2017 with a time of 1 hour 16 minutes." (geekwire.com, 27 Jul 2018) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (usparacycling.org, 26 Apr 2022) Additional Info: FROM CANADA TO USA He represented Canada in wheelchair basketball at the world championships and the Paralympic Games, but he competes for the United States of America in Para cycling. "I'm an American. I was born in Canada, but I consider myself an American now. Despite pressure from family, who really try to tell me that I should be competing for Team Canada, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a part of Team USA. I've been living in the United States since 1998. I have a family here. I subscribe to a lot of the different views of the United States as it relates to global issues. I've ingrained myself in this culture. I'm an American." (teamusa.org, 25 Aug 2018) OTHER ACTIVITIES He has served as a member of the US Paralympics Cycling Athlete Advisory Group. "I work directly with leadership, to be that liaison between the athlete and leadership." (SRAM YouTube channel, 27 Jul 2023; usparacycling.org, 29 Jun 2023)