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"I trained hard. I spent the summer on a glacier. I trained with two-legged skiers but there werent as many opportunities back then to compare myself to the other competitors, so I didnt know how I would do."
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Bonnie St. JohnWhen I won, it was a shock to me and I think to everyone. And it was o — Bonnie St. John
"When I won, it was a shock to me and I think to everyone. And it was only later that I realised I was the first African-American to win," "Oh my gosh, that was very special. It was terrific. Theres just so few African-Americans in the sport, but that was a great milestone."
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Bonnie St. John
Bonnie St. John
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Bonnie St. John is an American former Paralympic skier, author, and public speaker. St. John had her right leg amputated below the knee when she was 5 years old. Despite these challenges, she went on to excel as an athlete, a scholar, a mother and a businesswoman. She is the first African-American to win medals in Winter Paralympic competition as a ski racer, and the first African-American to meda
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"I had to be an entrepreneur to raise the money, to hire trainers, to travel to where I could train and to create my own opportunities to be able to be a ski racer. There was no farm system to find one-legged black skiers in San Diego, California,"
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Bonnie St. JohnQuote
"It was awful," St. John said. "When I first started skiing, I fell and fell. Even when I got better at skiing and began racing, it was hard at first. Ive learned that it happens again and again."
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Bonnie St. JohnQuote
"Because I had to work so hard to get the opportunity, I was very committed to make the most of it. "My story is proof that if you have the drive and you really want to make a difference, you can."
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Bonnie St. JohnQuote
"As disabled skiers, we were all used to being stared at and teased because of our differences. I got more guff from able-bodied white skiers, not so much my peers with disabilities,"
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Bonnie St. JohnQuote
"I had worked so hard to be able to participate, to qualify, to be a part of it. And then I was completely stunned at how well I did. It was a surprise to me,"
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Bonnie St. John