USA’s Kendall Gretsch was born with spina bifida, a birth defect that affects the spinal cord, but still was closely involved in sports from a young age and eventually discovered para triathlon. In 2015, the year she defended her world title in her home town Chicago, Gretsch was nominated for a 2015 Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY) award in the Best Female Athlete with a Disability category.
A three-time PTWC world champion, at Tokyo 2020, Kendall won the first Paralympic gold in her category after a dramatic sprint finish with Lauren Parker. She is also a Winter Paralympic Champion in Nordic skiing.
Career highlights:
- Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Champion
- Three-time World Champion
