Atlanta, GA,
04
March
2014
|
09:00 AM
America/New_York

Future Paralympics Hopeful Trains for Debut in Nordic Biathlon

Former patient considering pursuit of sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship.

It is too early to know what will happen, but never too soon to dream. So, there are times when Hannah Locke ponders not what might have been, but rather what might be if she wins a gold medal.

The 16-year-old former Shepherd Center patient is pursuing a new dream following a spring 2013 automobile accident in which she sustained a complete T-4 spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down.

She no longer plays volleyball, basketball and tennis for Coahulla High School near north Georgia’s city of Dalton. Yet she’s back in school and deciding whether she wants to compete as a Paralympic athlete in the sport of Nordic Biathlon in the 2018 Games.

Hannah has participated in a training session in Breckenridge, Colo., with U.S. Biathlon Paralympic coach Rob Rosser.

“The sport is a combination of shooting (rifle marksmanship) and cross-country skiing,” she explained. “I used to do Alpine skiing for fun. Shooting is new to me. I sit in what they call a ‘Sit Ski.’ I have two poles and I use my arms to push.”

It wasn’t by accident that Hannah’s interest in the sport piqued.

In fall 2013, Hannah heard a speech by Atlanta’s Scott Rigsby, the first double amputee to complete an Ironman Triathlon, and there, the speaker recruited her.

“Scott asked Hannah because they are trying to get more girls into biathlon,” said Hannah’s mother, Mandy Locke. “And because she’s so young, there’s time to get her prepared for the Paralympics.”

Hannah traveled to Breckenridge, Colo., in December 2013 for Nordic Biathlon training in conjunction with Disabled Sports USA.

“She is young, tough and motivated, so the sky is the limit with regard to her potential,” Rosser said. “Biathlon takes an athlete who is up for the challenge and willing to put a lot of time and effort into it. The most important thing she can do is get on snow as often as possible.”

 That is proving tricky, as Hannah continues her rehabilitation in Georgia. Time will tell.

“She’s never been depressed or sad,” said Hannah’s mother, Mandy Locke. “She’s never asked, ‘Why?’ one time.  She’s always been positive and ready to go, like, ‘What’s next?’”

Written by Matt Winkeljohn
Photos Courtesy of Hannah Locke

About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.