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Tricia Downing, a paraplegic athlete, is the second female wheelchair racer (first female paraplegic) to complete an Iron distance triathlon (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run). She is a member of the physically challenged National Triathlon Team and a pioneer in women’s wheelchair triathlon. She was a competitive cyclist from 1997-2000, but her career was cut short when she was hit head-on by a car while on a training ride on September 17, 2000, in Golden, Colo.

Trish sustained a T-4 (chest level) spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the chest down upon impact. Coming back from her near deadly accident, Trish has completed over 15 marathons and a variety of triathlons from sprint to Iron distance. In October 2006, Trish competed in the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. She was one of four athletes featured in the Disney film Superior Beings, which aired on ESPN. She was also featured on Life Moments, a women’s news and features show, which aired nationally.

She has appeared in Muscle and Fitness Hers, Her Sports, Rocky Mountain Sports, the Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain news, and other publications. She won the Sportswomen of Colorado Inspiration (2003) and Triathlon (2005) Awards for outstanding sports performance. She is a spokesperson for the San Diego based non-profit organization, Challenged Athletes Foundation.