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Roundup: Tom Davis Retires, While Samantha Bosco Takes “Baby Steps,” And More

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by Alex Abrams

Samantha Bosco competes in a road cycling race. (Photo: Casey Gibson)

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!

 

Two-Time Paralympian Tom Davis Announced Retirement

Tom Davis admitted he was “ready to move on to other adventures” in his life after spending the past decade competing around the world as a two-time Paralympian.

 

The 44-year-old Davis announced he was retiring from Para-cycling in a lengthy Instagram post on Jan. 5. He wrote that it was a decision he had been debating since 2019, but he held off on making it official until after he competed at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in August.

 

“After accomplishing everything I wanted, I have complete peace with this decision,” he wrote. “The years have taken a toll on my body that was already damaged to begin with. Looking through my photos, I have so many amazing memories from this sport.

 

“I have met incredible people that have made me a better person and I hope I have made a positive, encouraging impact on everyone I met.”



A U.S. Army veteran, Davis started cycling after he sustained a traumatic brain injury and had his left leg amputated above the knee following an explosion while serving in Iraq in 2006.

 

He made his Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where he finished fourth in the road race and sixth in the road time trial. He earned three silver medals at the 2019 world championships.

 

Davis qualified last year for his second Paralympics, and he placed fifth in both the time trial and the road race in Tokyo.

 

“We wish him all the best, and are so proud of how he represented Team USA throughout the years!” U.S. Paralympics Cycling wrote on Instagram. “Thanks for the memories, Tom!”



Oksana Masters Wins More Golds Away From Cycling

Oksana Masters has continued to dominate the field since making the transition from her summer sport (cycling) to her winter sport (Nordic skiing).

 

Masters, a 10-time Paralympic medalist in cycling, Nordic skiing and rowing, earned two golds and a total of five medals over the past two weeks at the World Para Sports Championships in Lillehammer, Norway.

 

Masters captured her 10th career world title on Jan. 18 when she cruised to a win in the women’s sitting cross-country long-distance race. Her victory came only a few days after she arrived late to Lillehammer because she had been quarantined while recovering from the coronavirus.



On Saturday, Masters rallied down the stretch to win her third consecutive title in the women’s sitting cross-country sprint.

 

“It feels incredible. It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was barely making finals in sprint or I couldn’t finish a sprint without falling or breaking a pole,” Masters told U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing. “To be able to have a third consecutive world championship title in this event is just incredible.”

Masters won two gold medals in Nordic skiing at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, and she earned two more golds in cycling this past summer in Tokyo. She’s among a select group of American athletes who’ve won golds at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics.

 

Samantha Bosco Takes “Baby Steps” In Her Recovery

Samantha Bosco continues to make progress following the serious bike accident in late June that forced her to miss the Tokyo Paralympics.

 

The two-time Paralympic bronze medalist recently took another step in her recovery when she went for her first ride with other cyclists in more than six months. She shared a photo from her early morning ride on Instagram.

 

“It’s been over six months since the last time I rode outside with more people than just (husband) Andrew. Baby steps!” Bosco wrote. “Turns out the sunrise isn’t the only thing worth celebrating.”



Bosco wrote that she wasn’t sure how she’d celebrate the milestone. She was debating between eating cake, taking a shot of cinnamon whiskey or simply taking a nap.

 

Bosco spent time in the intensive care unit after she sustained a skull fracture during a June 23 crash while training for the Paralympics.

 

Clara Brown Shows Red Heads Have Fun, Too

Paralympian Clara Brown couldn’t help but make a joke about her red hair.

 

Brown shared a photo on Instagram of herself covered in snow in her native Maine. There was even snow in her long, red hair.

 

“Confused as to why the snow on my hair stayed frozen since it’s always on fire,” Brown wrote.



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 USParaCycling.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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