About Alana
Alana Nichols
Three-Time Paralympic Gold Medalist
"Triple Threat Athlete in Alpine Skiing, Basketball and Sprint Kayaking"
Career Highlights
Alana Nichols is a world-class athlete with a passion for challenging herself and others. From a young age, her passion for sports and adventure has driven her and no matter what obstacle life throws her way, she takes a challenge head on. After suffering a spinal cord injury at age 17 while attempting a back flip on her snowboard, Alana quickly transitioned to adaptive sports. She is the first American female to win gold medals at both Summer (Wheelchair Basketball) and Winter (Alpine Ski Racing) Olympic/Paralympic Games. Currently training for the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Paralympic Games, Alana will be taking on a new athletic challenge in Sprint Kayaking and will continue to inspire and attract fans around the world.
• Graduated from University of Arizona with Education degree; Two years later, obtained Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from University of Alabama
• Has over 10 years of public speaking experience as a spokes person and advocate for people with disabilities
• Alana won the first ever all female adaptive surf competition in history and continues to passionately promote and enjoy adaptive surfing
• Serves on the board at EspnW, The Women’s Sports Foundation and The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and is an advocate of sporting opportunities for girls and women
• Featured Appearances: Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Katie Couric Show, Wake Up with Al, The Today Show, Live Associate Press Interviews
Actively Engaged with Social Media Followers:
• Twitter: @alananichols21 3,700
• Instagram:@alanathejane 2,700
• Facebook.com/alanajanenichols 4,900
Paralympic Results
-
- • 2016 Paralympic Games Sprint Kayaking- 7th Place
• 2016 Paralympic Hopeful- Sprint Kayak
• 2015 ISA Worlds Adaptive Surfing Championships - 7th overall in all-male field for the Upright division
• 2015 Duisburg, Germany: World Cup Bronze- Sprint Kayak 200m
• 2014 Sochi, Russia: Paralympic Silver Medal- Alpine Skiing Downhill
• 2012 Paralympic Summer Games - 4th place Wheelchair Basketball
• 2011 Parapan American Games - Gold Medal
• 2011 World Champion - Downhill Super-G
• 2011 Paralympic Athlete of the Year
• 2011 Colorado Sports Woman of the Year
• 2011 NWBA National Champion
• 2010-12 Three-Time ESPY Nominee
• 2010 Paralympic Winter Games - Two Gold Medals: Downhill & Giant Slalom; Silver Medal Super-G; Bronze Medal Super Combined
• 2009 National Champion (Downhill and Super-G)
• 2008 Paralympic Summer Games - Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball
• 2007 Parapan American Games - Gold Medal
- • 2016 Paralympic Games Sprint Kayaking- 7th Place
Fun Facts
-
- • Graduated from University of Arizona with Education degree; Two years later, obtained Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from University of Alabama
- • Advocate for people with disabilities with a goal to develop community involvement programs and Collegiate Scholarship programs in under developed countries
- • In May, 2014, inducted into Warner Brothers “Superman Hall of Heroes” in the inaugural class of real-life heroes