Kendall Gretsch
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1992-04-02) April 2, 1992
Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S.
Height5 ft 0 in (152 cm)[1]
Weight110 lb (50 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportParalympic Nordic skiing (Paralympic biathlon and Paralympic cross-country skiing), Paratriathlon
Disability classLW11.5
Medal record
Representing  United States
Women's para biathlon
Winter Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2018 Pyeongchang6 km sitting
Gold medal – first place2022 Beijing10 km sitting
Silver medal – second place2022 Beijing12.5 km sitting
Bronze medal – third place2022 Beijing6 km sitting
Women's para cross-country skiing
Winter Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2018 Pyeongchang12 km sitting
Women's para triathlon
Summer Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoPTWC

Kendall Gretsch (born April 2, 1992) is an American triathlete, biathlete and cross-country skier.[1][2] She was born with spina bifida.[1] She has competed in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics and has a unique distinction of winning gold medals in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics.

Education

Gretsch studied at Washington University in St. Louis where she earned a degree in Bio Medical Engineering. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.[3]

Career

2018 Winter Paralympics

Gretsch made her Paralympic debut at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and created history in her maiden Paralympic appearance after claiming a gold medal in the women's 6km sitting biathlon event.[4] She eventually became the first American to claim a medal in a biathlon event in either the Olympics or the Paralympics.[5] Her medal was also the first gold medal achieved by the United States at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in the opening day of the multi-sport event.[6]

Gretsch also repeated her gold medal hunt at the 2018 Winter Paralympics after emerging as the winner in the women's 12km sitting event which is a part of the cross-country skiing event.[7][8] This was her second Paralympic gold medal and the first gold medal that she achieved in cross-country skiing.[9]

Gretsch was one of two Paralympic gold winners representing the United States, the other being Daniel Cnossen, the first male biathlete to achieve a medal in either the Olympics or the Paralympics.[10][11]

2020 Summer Paralympics

Gretsch made her debut Summer Paralympics appearance representing United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in paratriathlon event and it also marked her second Paralympic appearance after featuring in 2018 Winter Paralympics.[12] She went onto clinch her first Summer Paralympic medal in her maiden Summer Paralympic appearance. She became a Paralympic champion in the women's PTWC paratriathlon event whereas she notably defeated reigning world champion Lauren Parker of Australia to claim gold medal in the relevant competition.[13][14]

She also became the fifth American and third American woman to have clinched gold medals in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics.[15]

2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships

She won the gold medal in the women's 7.5 km sitting cross-country skiing event at the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships held in Lillehammer, Norway.[16][17] She also won gold medals in the women's 10 km sitting biathlon event[18][19] and in the women's Individual sitting biathlon event. In cross-country skiing, she won the silver medal in the women's long-distance sitting event.[20][21]

2022 Winter Paralympics

She competed in the Women's 6 kilometres Biathlon seated, winning a bronze medal.[22][23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kendall Gretsch". Team USA. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  2. ↑ Union, International Triathlon. "Athlete Profile: Kendall Gretsch H2 | Triathlon.org". Triathlon.org. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ Becque, Fran (February 7, 2018). "Fraternity and Sorority Members Competing in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics". Fraternity History & More. www.franbecque.com. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Biathlon | Athlete Profile: Kendall GRETSCH - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Biathlon | Event Schedule Women's 6km, Sitting - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kendall Gretsch wins first U.S. gold medal of Paralympics". OlympicTalk. March 10, 2018. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Cross-Country Skiing | Athlete Profile: Kendall GRETSCH - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Cross-Country Skiing | Event Schedule Women's 12km, Sitting - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Kendall Gretsch Wins Second Gold In Two Days In Paralympic Nordic Skiing". Team USA. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Kendall Gretsch, Dan Cnossen Win Team USA's First Olympic Or Paralympic Biathlon Gold Medals To Open Paralympics In PyeongChang". Team USA. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  11. ↑ "PyeongChang 2018: Double delight for USA in day of biathlon surprises". Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Tokyo 2020 transition for Kendall Gretsch". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  13. ↑ Azzi, Alex (August 29, 2021). "Kendall Gretsch wins triathlon gold in thrilling sprint finish (video)". On Her Turf. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Gretsch adds Paralympic triathlon gold at Tokyo 2020 to Pyeongchang 2018 success". www.insidethegames.biz. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  15. ↑ OlympicTalk (August 28, 2021). "Kendall Gretsch becomes just the fifth American to win gold at both summer and winter Paralympics". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Royals crown six new champions as hosts strike cross-country gold on first day". Paralympic.org. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  17. ↑ Houston, Michael (January 13, 2022). "Golubkov and Gretsch among first winners at World Para Snow Sports Championships". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Belarus' Yury Holub reigns supreme for second gold medal despite icy slip". Paralympic.org. January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  19. ↑ Houston, Michael (January 16, 2022). "Russian trio win again in biathlon at the World Para Snow Sports Championships". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  20. ↑ Houston, Michael (January 18, 2022). "Masters wins first gold of World Para Snow Sports Championships". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  21. ↑ "USA's Oksana Masters claims 10th world title days after recovering from COVID". Paralympic.org. January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  22. ↑ Conti • •, Kristen (March 5, 2022). "Team USA Wins Their First Paralympic Gold of the 2022 Games". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  23. ↑ "OKSANA MASTERS, KENDALL GRETSCH WIN TEAM USA'S FIRST MEDALS OF THE 2022 WINTER PARALYMPICS". teamusa.org.
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