CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Para snowboarder Noah Elliott struggled to keep it together as he crossed the finish line in his final race at theMilan Cortina Paralympicson Friday.
Milan Cortina Paralympics Snowboard
He knew it was a special gold-medal run in what he calls his "redemption Games."
It capped a successful day for the United States at the conclusion of the Para snowboarding competitions at Milan Cortina; Kate Delson also won gold at her first Games,Brenna Huckabyjoined Delson with her fifth Paralympic medal, andMike Schultzearned a bronze in his final Paralympic participation.
"Oh my God, my emotions. It was so hard for me not to cry coming across that finish line," Elliott said after winning the men's banked slalom. "I've worked so hard, and this is my 'redemption Games.' And to be able to stand atop the podium today, hear our national anthem, I couldn't be more proud.
"This is what it's all about," the 2025 ESPY winner added. "This is why we do what we do to try to get that top position. It just all hit me."
Elliott, now a four-time Paralympic medalist in three Games appearances, said it wasn't easy to come back from a gruesome 2022 injury when his femur bone came through his amputated leg.
"I didn't think I was going to even be able to go and do it but it was just a great Games for me," he said. "I couldn't be more proud to come back after a surgery, get back on the grind, work hard, set those goals in the gym, work out, and just get better at snowboarding and show up here."
The 28-year-old Elliott's left leg was amputated at age 15 because of cancer. He won the silver medal in the Para snowboard cross race earlier in these Games. He also won the gold in banked slalom in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in addition to a bronze in snowboard cross.
"This is my 'redemption Games' because I'm finally healthy again," he said. "And that's why these medals mean so much to me."
Delson's first
The 20-year-old Delson, the youngest member of the American Para snowboarding squad at Milan Cortina, won the women's banked slalom to add to her silver in Para snowboard cross.
She was thrilled to share the podium with Huckaby.
"It's just amazing," said Delson, who was born with a congenital disability that left her missing most of the muscles in her right leg, including her calf.
Advertisement
"I'm just so happy we get to share this moment with someone who I've literally been watching and has been my role model and my friend and my roommate, and now we get to stand on the Paralympic podium together," Delson said. "The best thing ever."
The 30-year-old Huckaby, whose right leg was amputated because of bone cancer at age 14, has won all five of her medals at Milan Cortina. Of Delson she said there was "no one I would rather see on that gold medal spot."
"I'm super stoked for her, she's put in the work, she's put in the time. We were all there at the bottom giving her a hug because I think we were all freaking excited for her."
The silver medalist in banked slalom was three-time Paralympic medalist Lisa Bunschoten-Vos of the Netherlands, a fellow mother like Huckaby.
"I get to share the podium with two of the biggest legends in this sport," Delson said. "So that's pretty freaking cool."
Schultz goes out with a medal
Schultz ended his Paralympic career by winning his fourth medal across three Games.
"These boys are fast. You know, over the last couple of seasons, they've been pushing me beyond my comfort zone and that's one of the reasons why I'm like, you know what, it's time," he said. "But to be on the podium and bring home a medal in my last Paralympic Games is, man, that feels good."
Schultz said he now wants to focus on his business of building the prosthetics that many of the Para athletes have been using at Milan Cortina.
"My goal this year was to be at my best during these Games, and I believe I achieved that," he said.
The 44-year-old Schultz made his Paralympic debut at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, winning gold in snowboard cross and silver in banked slalom. He won a silver medal in snowboard cross at the 2022 Beijing Games. He was sixth in snowboard cross in Italy.
The final day of racing for Para snowboarding was moved from Saturday to Friday because of a forecast of rain amid warm weather conditions in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
AP Winter Paralympics:https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
