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Cycling Roundup: Toyota, Leen Customs Support Samantha Bosco’s Recovery

by Alex Abrams

Every other week we scour the web for the latest going on in the world of U.S. Para-cycling. Here’s what you missed!

 

Samantha Bosco “At a Loss For Words” Following Support

Samantha Bosco has already turned her attention to the Paralympic Games Paris 2024, and she’s getting plenty of support along the way.

 

Bosco, a two-time bronze medalist in Rio, was forced to miss the Tokyo Paralympics after getting into a serious bike accident in June while training for the Games. She attempted to come back from her injuries, which included a skull fracture, but she wasn’t medically cleared in time to compete in Tokyo.

 

On Sept. 10, Bosco posted a photograph on Instagram of herself holding a large check for $13,097.50.

 

“I’m at a loss for words. Incredibly honored and humbled to have Crown Toyota and Leen Customs collaborate on an out-of-this-world Sammiecranks RAV4 pin and donate all of the profits to help with my recovery journey so I can keep focusing toward Paris 2024,” Bosco wrote.

 

She thanked Crown Toyota, Leen Customs and everyone who has purchased a pin so far.

 

“The last couple of months have been incredibly hard on many levels, but to have all of your love and support means the world to me,” Bosco wrote.



Bosco posted another photo that showed what her pin looks like. In the picture, she’s wearing a Team USA T-shirt and holding a pin that resembles a Toyota RAV4 with an American flag on its side and a bike strapped to its roof.

 

Meanwhile, Shawn Morelli, who earned a gold and a silver medal in Tokyo, announced on Instagram that she was joining Team Toyota for the upcoming Para-cycling season. She also won two golds five years ago at the Rio Paralympics.



Oksana Masters Makes Appearance on Sunday Night Football

Oksana Masters returned home after winning a pair of gold medals in Tokyo. She then made her NFL debut.

 

Masters made a brief appearance during NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football on Sept. 12. At one point during the St. Louis Rams’ 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears, commentator Al Michaels introduced Masters, who was wearing one of her gold medals around her neck.

 

She was joined during the game by a pair of fellow two-time gold medalists in Olympic hurdler Dalilah Muhammad and water polo player Kaleigh Gilchrist.

 

“Oh hey hey @SNFonNBC I could not imagine a better way to experience my first ever football game than tonight alongside these incredible @TeamUSA ladies who crushed it in #Tokyo2020, at the first Sunday night game of the season at SoFi Stadium,” Masters wrote on Twitter.



With her dominant performance in Tokyo, Masters became the sixth American to win a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter Paralympics. She earned two golds in Para Nordic skiing at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics.

 

She has a total of 10 medals in five Paralympics.

 

U.S. Paralympics Cycling Enjoys Some “Big Medal Energy”

U.S. Paralympic Cycling had a number of reasons to celebrate following the Tokyo Paralympics. American cyclists earned eight medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, including Masters’ two golds in the time trial and the road race.

 

U.S. Paralympics Cycling showed its support on social media by posting a collage featuring photos of each of its riders who made the medal podium in Tokyo. The collage included the comment, “Big medal energy.”

 

U.S. Paralympics Cycling had some fun as well.

 

On Sept. 15, it posted silly photos of Clara Brown laughing, Cody Jung kissing a bike tire and Ryan Pinney flexing a muscle along with the comment, “We take ourselves *very* seriously around here.”



Alex Abrams

Alex Abrams has written about Olympic sports for more than 15 years, including as a reporter for major newspapers in Florida, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He is a freelance contributor to USParaNordicSkiing.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.