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her story
Sarah was born “different”. Her left leg deformed by a condition called proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), Sarah wore a stiff, cumbersome leg brace until she was seven. At that point, the decision was made to amputate.
After the operation, Sarah tried to be like all her friends; she was a Brownie. She was a great student. She had a smile that lit up a room. But she could never overcome being “different”. And nowhere was that more apparent than in gym class. She came in last on field day. She was picked last for teams. Teachers and coaches refused to include her in regular play with the other kids. Instead, Sarah would kick a ball against the wall. Alone.
Life changed for Sarah when, at age 11, she competed in her first disabled track meet. Sarah lined up next to other girls missing limbs. When the gun went off for the 100 Meter dash, she ran hard and finished first. For the first time, she experienced the thrill of competition – and of winning and her life would never be the same.
Today, Sarah focuses on triathlons, where she has broken new ground and gone where no amputee woman has attempted before – the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii (a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.) In 2005, Sarah became the first woman to finish this grueling test on an artificial leg, finishing in a remarkable 15:05. In 2006, she was the first person with a physical challenge on the hit show, CBS's Amazing Race. Then in August of 2007, Sarah became a World Champion, winning gold in the Physically Challenged Olympic Distance World Championship in Hamburg Germany.
Now Sarah makes a living as a motivational speaker, showing others that no matter your challenge, you can achieve your dreams. She also acts as a CAF spokesperson sharing her knowledge and experience with kids and other challenged athletes.
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