Perfect Partnership

Among those making their world championships debuts in Rio were Amy Dixon, a 2020 Paralympian in triathlon, and Laurel Rathbun, a former pro cyclist.

They both live in the San Diego area and joined up as riding partners just six months ago, in time to make a run at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

“Pilots are like unicorns,” Dixon, a rider with visual impairment, told USParaCycling.org. “It’s a marriage, it’s chemistry, it’s work ethic. It’s so many things. It’s great to have somebody super strong in the front of the bike, but that’s just part of it. If you don’t have good chemistry, a good working relationship with your guide, it just doesn’t work. We’ve seen so many really talented blind athletes just flame out because they can’t find the right pilot.

No flaming out here.

“At heart, we’re both just like 16-year-old girls that love Starbucks and love dogs,” says the 27-year-old Rathbun.

Read more about their journey here.

Following Her Dream

Road cyclist Elizabeth Mis Neag is a data analyst for a well-known food company, J.M. Smucker. She plays the saxophone and is pretty good at it, considering her music is on Spotify, YouTube, Apple and Amazon. Check the link below.

And then, there’s the cycling. She is a two-time world championships team member rising up in the WC5 ranks who competed in her first Parapan American Games this past November.

“Going to the Olympic/Paralympic Games had kind of always been my one dream with cycling,” said Mis Neag, who finished fourth, just behind reigning world champion and 2016 Paralympian Samantha Bosco, at the Parapan Ams.

Read more about her cycling journey here.

And here’s a piece of her music, via YouTube.

Roundup: Samantha Bosco Finds ‘Wall of Champions’ in Return to Rio

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