Allison Jones
Paralympic skier/cyclist: Defying all odds
Statuses
- Daughter
- Female
- American
- Sister
Allison first discovered paralympic cycling when she was 11 and was able to attend the paralympic games when they were being held in Colorado. After that experience, she is quoted saying that she "knew that was something she wanted to do". She decided to find a personal trainer to help her gain the achieved status of a cyclist. An achieved status is a title or identity that one acquires post-birth as they go about their lives and develop who they want to become. Other achieved statuses of Jones' are:
- Skier - During the winter games, Allison skis rather than cycles
- Wife - Married fellow athlete Sara Jarrell in October of 2013
- Activist - Supports organizations for LGBT rights
- Olympian - Competed in the Paralympics 7 times, her first admission to the games being in Salt Lake City in 2002
- Mechanical Engineer - Has a mechanical engineering degree from University of Denver where she received the "Pioneer Award"
- Role Model - A strong and dedicated athlete who does not let her handicap hold her back from achieving her goals
Olympian
Wife
Role model
Values
It is evident throughout Allison's postings on social media and her website that she values her fellow USA teammates and their common goals for the games. She supports her fellow teammates every step of the way, as they do for her. Maintaining good sportsmanship is certainly something that Jones remains conscious of while she is competing.
Sports as a subculture
- Downhill
- Slalom
- Giant slalom
- Super-G
- Super-combined
- Snowboard cross
Cycling is a relentlessly long test of endurance and stamina that is open to athletes with a varying range of disabilities. Amputees and athletes with other locomotor disabilities compete in road races using cycles specifically constructed for their needs such as handcycling, designed for athletes who normally use a wheelchair.
Both skiers and cyclists in the Paralympic games are divided into classes based upon severity and/or type of disability.
Socialization
Allison married her long-time partner Sara in October of 2013, who is also a fellow athlete.