SPOKANE, Wash. – Three athletes with three separate stories are all proving life does not stop when you have a disability. Lindi Marcusen, 28, Taylor Swanson, 31, and Lauren Fields, 18, trained together at ParaSport Spokane and will compete in Paris together next month at the 2024 Paralympics.
“For me it’s the most powerful symbol of hope, that there is a future after acquiring a disability in athletics,” Marcusen said.
26 female athletes from the USA qualified for the Paralympics after competing in Miami, Florida, last week. Three of those female athletes trained up to the minute right here in Spokane in a small facility, packed with big hearts and big goals.
“Huge shoutout to ParaSport Spokane and training partners because it takes a village to put everything together at the right time,” Marcusen said.
Marcusen has a prosthetic leg, she competes in the 100-meter and Long Jump. Swanson was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy late in life; she competes in the 100-meter and 200-meter.
Fields was born with Cerebral Palsy; she competes in the 100-meter and 800-meter wheelchair race.
“To inspire the younger generations of kids with disabilities, to show them you can jump in in sports and be successful too, there is a place for you too, I think that is so powerful to show kids they have a place at the table,” Marcusen said. “It’s so surreal, that’s the only word I can think of right now,” Fields said. “Realizing all of the hard work and dreams we had when we were young, exactly what’s possible with 100 percent determination, and just a solid community to have your back when you don’t even think you can do it.”
when she was training for the Paralympics. At the time, she had just applied to the University of Illinois; we are happy to report, she was accepted and will race at school.
“I was talking to mom and saying, ‘this was not in Lauren’s master plan for the year,’” Fields laughed. “I’m very happy, I got a PR at trials… it’s surreal and it’s kind of a cherry on top moment for me.”
Marcusen and Swanson were not born with a disability but came into this reality much later in life. Going from an able-bodied childhood to being part of the para family, these two athletes want to share that your dreams can still come true even if they come true in a different way than you imagined.
“I would love for somebody who acquired a disability later in life to just hold onto the hope and know that there is beauty in life after acquiring a disability,” Marcusen said. “Life is beautiful regardless of what your body can do, what function you have, it’s beautiful the way you make it, and there’s a lot of possibility out there.”
“I dreamed as a little kid of going to the Olympics, the actual Olympics because I didn’t know about my disability until much later,” Swanson said. “And so, the dreams changed slightly, but still the same dream of running track at the Paralympics of when I was a little kid.”
ParaSport Spokane head coaches Teresa Skinner and David Greig, also the executive director and development director of the organization, will be traveling to the Paralympics with their athletes. Skinner was also named to the staff as the lead wheelchair racing coach.
“I don’t know that it’s fully hit me that all three of them are going, they get to represent the U.S. on the stage, they get to represent Spokane, they’re representing ParaSport Spokane, and just doing an amazing incredible job,” Skinner said.
“I think if people tune in and follow the stories, they’re going to be just amazed at what people with disabilities can do, there’s a lot of perceptions and preconceived notions about disability,” Greig said. “I think people would really rally around the Paralympics and our program more so, if they just take a look and a little more digging into it.”
A symbol of hope, of pride, of hard work. Marcusen, Swanson, and Fields, along with thousands of para-athletes across the country, are showing the world their strength and love for the game.
“There’s just a complete atmosphere of humility that is super unique to what we get to do and I’m just super excited to be a part of that,” Fields said.
“Just finding out about para recently, it’s been an interesting journey to say the least, so just inspiring that even if you start late there is still a place you could strive to achieve,” Swanson said.
“When I acquired my disability, I had a new door open and although it doesn’t look like I thought it would, it’s absolutely beautiful and exciting and I am just so grateful to be doing it,” Marcusen said.
These three athletes head to Paris from Spokane next month.
If you’d like to see more local para-athletes make it to the Paralympics in another four years, ParaSport Spokane needs your help. The organization’s lease is up in August at their current training facility and they’re
They’re having promising conversations with local universities and school districts yet would appreciate any help from the community. If you’d like more information on how to help, you can contact ParaSport Spokane by calling (509) – 999 – 6466 or emailing tskinner@parasportspokane.org.
