(Deming) – A 2004 Deming High School graduate has qualified to compete in the Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in March.
28-year-old Travis Dodson told KDEM/KOTS News that he will be competing in cross-country skiing and a biathalon event in the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, which follow the Olympic Games.
Dodson lost his left leg at the hip and his right leg below the knee in a grenade explosion in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Marines in 2007.
He said he qualified for the Paralympic Games through a point system earned by competing in World Cup events in Finland, Canada and the United States.
He competes in cross-country skiing using a sit-ski technique. The biathalon event combines cross country skiing and marksmanship, where athletes using air rifles shoot at several series of five targets interspersed with skiing competitions.
Dodson is studying nutrition and health science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He took a year off from his studies to compete and train for the Paralympics.
Dodson said he will be training with other U.S. team members in Winter Park, Colorado, until he leaves for Russia March 2nd.