Sawt Falasteen - Skiing 'filled the void' for Paralympian Soens after life-changing fall

The American was an avid rock climber and outdoorswoman until a 2015 fall at an indoor climbing gym in Oregon resulted in an incomplete spinal cord injury that left her paralysed below the hips.

She regained some strength and movement in her upper legs, but never recovered muscle control in most of her lower extremities.

Then-aged 27, Soens was determined not to let the accident define her and set about finding a new passion.

"I like being able to push myself," she told AFP on Saturday after participating in the women's downhill sitting event at the 2026 Winter Paralympics.

"I didn't pick up skiing until after my accident. I think it filled the void of what climbing used to fill for me.

"You're constantly able to find new terrain or challenge yourself, just technically, to keep growing in the sport, which is awesome."

Soens said she "only started racing since last season" but has already qualified for Team USA and is making her Paralympic debut at the Milan-Cortina Games.

And she called for a push to boost the participation of women in sports.

"There needs to be more women in sports in general, including para sports," Soens said.

"I was lucky to have people in my corner who have raced before, telling me and encouraging me to get into it. There needs to be more of us."

Her hopes of a medal were not fully dashed by Saturday's crash-out as she will participate in four more events at the 2026 Games, including her preferred discipline: the super-G.

However, Soens is not a full-time professional athlete.

She balances the demands of being an elite para skier alongside her responsibilities as a wildlife biologist.

"Working full-time and trying to train and race has been more challenging than anything else," she said. "It's balancing the two together.

"It's hard to turn your brain off to go Mach 50 down a race hill and then try to hop on to a complex Zoom call for work after that."

In the office, Soens works to "help conserve and recover anything threatened or endangered in the state of Oregon".

Despite the rush of having just skied down one of the world's most iconic slopes, she spared a thought for her colleagues back in the United States.

"I'm extremely lucky that my office is very supportive of me taking a lot of time off to pursue this," Soens said.

"I'm grateful for everybody back home for picking up the slack!"

N.Shalabi--SF-PST