Paralyzed Veterans of America reports that six of its members named to the 2014 US Paralympic Cycling Team are a step closer to potentially competing on the official US cycling team at the 2016 Paralympic Games. The games are slated to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A total of 36 members of the 2014 US Paralympic Cycling team were named by the US Paralympics, a division of the Olympic Committee on January 7. The members were reportedly chosen across three team categories ranging from the top-ranked National A Team down to the B Team and Developmental Team.
The six members of the Paralyzed Veterans of America named to the team include Will Groulx, Portland, Ore, former rugby Paralympian and member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Racing team. According to a news release from the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Groulx was named to the 2014 Paralympics Cycling National A Team in the WH1 category. Oz Sanchez, San Diego, Calif, was named to the US National B Team in the MH4 category.
Additional members named to the 2014 US Paralympic Developmental Team were Paralyzed Veterans Racing team members Carlos Moleda (MH3), Bluffton, SC, and Steven Peace (MT2), San Diego, Calif, and Paralyzed Veterans of America members Jason Kimball (MC3), Spring Lake, NC, and David Randall (MH2) of Ontario, Ohio.
Jody Shiflett, adaptive cycling program consultant for Paralyzed Veterans of America, explains that, “Being named to the 2014 US team is validation of their efforts and reassures them on their quest to make it closer to the 2016 Paralympics.”
Shiflett adds that being named to the US team provides several benefits to racers as they prepare for the 2016 Paralympics, including a coach and monthly training stipend. Shiflett also notes that more racers could be added to or dropped from the team rosters throughout the season.
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Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America
