ELMLINGER Kelly

United States of America
Triathlon
9 Jul 1979
42
Female
PTS4
SAN ANTONIO, TX
 
United States of America

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
TRI Triathlon Women's PTS5 7

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Odaiba Marine Park
Women's PTS5
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
RankEventYearLocationResult
World Championships
2PTS42019Lausanne, SUI1:22:52
5PTS42018Gold Coast, QLD, AUS1:22:41
:
Athlete, Veteran
:
Nursing - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
:
Daughter Jayden
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English
:
Brooke Army Medical Center [BAMC] Warrior Transition Battalion [United States]
:
She competed in Para swimming at the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, FL, United States of America. She competed in wheelchair racing at the 2015 Los Angeles Marathon and the 2016 Boston Marathon. (teamusa.org, 27 Jun 2021; forcesoperations.com, 12 May 2016)
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She began competing in Para triathlon in 2017. "I have a very long and complicated medical history and went five years without the ability to run. It was only three weeks after getting my first multi-purpose [prosthetic] leg when I entered a triathlon as an amputee." (teamusa.org, 04 Oct 2019; usmes.org, 31 Dec 2018)
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She grew up competing in athletics and basketball, and wanted to stay involved in sport after her amputation. "Adaptive sports have helped fill the void running meant to me. It's made the greatest impact as it allows me to gain the same benefits running did for me. Without a doubt, adaptive sports has allowed me to physically and mentally overcome the hurdles associated with my illness and injury. One of the [reasons for deciding on amputation] was, hey, once I cut this leg off, I'm going to run, and I'm going to get into triathlons. During my military career, I've had a passion for learning the entire processes. For me, triathlon fits my personality and mindset very well." (newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org, 01 Jul 2021; teamusa.org, 04 Oct 2019; usmes.org, 31 Dec 2018; 2017 Invictus Games Athlete Bio Booklet, 17 Sep 2017)
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Her family, friends and army colleagues. (defense.gov, 19 Jun 2015)
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"When things go to hell, the ones who stand beside you without flinching, they are your family." (Twitter profile, 27 Sep 2016)
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She was named 2018 USA Paratriathlon Developmental Athlete of the Year. (spectrumlocalnews.com, 05 Aug 2021)

She lit the torch during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Warrior Games in West Point, NY, United States of America, to signify the beginning of the event. (ncojournal.dodlive.mil, 23 Jun 2016)

General Interest

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (Facebook profile, 20 Sep 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (wtc.army.mil, 22 Jul 2015)

Impairment Details
After enduring a pain in her left leg for nearly a decade, in early 2013 a soft tissue tumour was found in the lower part of the leg and she was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma. She had nine operations, resulting in loss of function in her left leg and an impairment to her left forearm due to a skin and tissue removal to graft to the open wound in her lower left leg. In 2016 she had the leg amputated below the knee. "It took me a while to say that I wanted to amputate my leg. I have lost friends in deployments and lost some to cancer. I keep their memory close to my heart and want to compete and live to my potential as a remembrance of those who are not able to be with us in life. I honour them by living life to the fullest." (The Coach Scott Fields Show YouTube channel, 21 Jul 2021; 2017 Invictus Games Athlete Bio Booklet, 17 Sep 2017; Facebook profile, 20 Sep 2016; espn.com, 03 May 2016; wtc.army.mil, 22 Jul 2015; defense.gov, 19 Jun 2015)

General
ARMY SERVICE
In 1998 she joined the US Army during her second year at Tiffin University in Ohio, United States of America. She spent most of her military career serving as a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division, including a tour to Afghanistan and two tours to Iraq. She ended her military career as a surgical nurse at Brooke Army Medical Center [BAMC] in San Antonio, Texas, not long after starting her sporting career in Para triathlon. "Spending 20 years in a military uniform, it was hard to think about not representing my country in an 'official' uniform. Para triathlon has allowed me to continue to 'serve' in a different capacity. I love my country and love representing this sport, my family name and especially, our country." (newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org, 01 Jul 2021; teamusa.org, 04 Oct 2019; usmes.org, 31 Dec 2018; army.mil, 17 Apr 2017; espn.com, 03 May 2016)

NURSING EXPERIENCE
She says her experience as an army nurse helped to prepare her for the amputation of her leg. "I wanted to care for wounded warriors, it was my mission. I wanted to give back that understanding of battlefield experience. I'd seen so many soldiers try limb salvage and fail for years before they finally had to amputate. But my injury wasn't combat-related. We weren't trying to put pieces back together. I thought I had better odds. I knew at that point [when she was diagnosed with cancer], based on all the people I had been taking care of, that this was a game-changer." (The Coach Scott Fields Show YouTube channel, 21 Jul 2021; teamusa.org, 04 Oct 2019; army.mil, 17 Apr 2017; espn.com, 03 May 2016)

OTHER STUDIES
She has also studied at University of Texas at Arlington in the United States of America. (2017 Invictus Games Athlete Bio Booklet, 17 Sep 2017; Facebook profile, 30 Dec 2016)

Legend
:
Gold Medal Event
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Silver Medal Event
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Bronze Medal Event
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
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