PossAbilities Paralympics Cycling Time Trail, 7 July 2024: Leaning In

July 07, 2024

PossAbilities Paralympics Cycling Time Trail, 7 July 2024: Leaning In

I am not sure why, but I don't usually play favorites when I go out to cover races. Not that there is anything wrong with cheering on a racer or two, I just try and keep things neutral. Still, there are times, like today, that I can't help myself; I got caught up in the moment, yelled out "Get It Jenna," as Jenna Rollman, having left the start ramp, picked up speed along the opening stretch of pavement. I wasn't the only one, everyone pitched in. Whether they were there specifically for one racer or another, each time a competitor began their run a cheer went up, there was yelling, clapping of hands, even the ringing of a giant cowbell from amongst the supporters of Ryan Pinney.

As the beeping of the clock marked the final seconds to the moment the next rider would start, I closed my eyes for just that short period of time, and a song popped into my head (how unusual is that); it was Foreigner,

"... Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene

Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream

He heard one guitar, just blew him away

He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day...

So he started rockin', ain't never gonna stop

Gotta keep on rockin', someday gonna make it to the top..."

(Grammatico & Jones)

And that's all there was time for; the beeping had stopped, and the next rider was off, another athlete seeking a way to the top, and a chance to race for gold in Paris in just another months' time.

According to the PossAbilities homepage, the community outreach program's mission is to "provide those with permanent physical disabilities and veterans support and resources to stay active and healthy in life." Centered at the Loma Linda University then, it was entirely appropriate that they and the medical university should sponsor and host this mornings' final qualifying event for the selection of road para-cyclists to the team that will compete during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

From my perspective on the sidelines, the organizing committee laid out a superb course through the campus, offering challenge, and the opportunity for the athletes competing to prove not only to the Olympic selection committee, but to themselves that they were capable and ready to meet the demands they would face at the highest level of competition. Lining up were veterans such as Oksana Masters, seventeen-time Paralympic medalist, five-time world champion Samantha Bosco (for those of you reading this comfortably at home in Claremont, yes, the same Sam Bosco who also calls our fair town home, and who was featured in last Fridays' Claremont Courier), and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Freddie de los Santos. And that is just to start, you could shake many medals, honors and accolades off most of the other competitors as well.