Para Sports Nutrition

Melissa Perrine is a 4 time Paralympic alpine skier with a vision impairment. Mel is a multiple medalist at Paralympic games and world championships. We talk to Mel about her vision impairment, and how she juggled training with her university studies which have lead to hear qualification as a Physiotherapist. Mel also discusses her experience with changing epilepsy medication and the impact that had on her ability to fully express the work she'd done in training and with nutrition.

Dr Amber Donaldson is a sports physiotherapist (physical therapist), Vice President of Sports Medicine at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and has been the medical director for Team USA at numerous summer and winter Paralympic Games. Amber tells us about common health and injury issues she manages with Para athletes both in their daily training environment as well as at major competitions.

Dr Daniel Owens is an exercise physiologist and researcher at Liverpool John Moores University who has undertaken numerous research projects looking at Vitamin D and athletes. Dan talks to us about what Vitamin D is, why it's important for athletes, where we get it from and what's considered to be enough.

Steven Lovelace is one of the first documented athletes with a physical impairment to compete in Triathlons in the USA, starting in the mid 1980's. Steven talks to us about his experience in the early days of triathlon before Para Triathlon itself was a recognised discipline, and his experiences throughout his years of competing in sport.

Stephanie Wheeler is the womens wheelchair basketball coach at the University of Illinois, and was the head women's national team coach when the USA women's team won gold at the Rio Paralympic games. Stephanie explains wheelchair basketball to us, about her journey as an athlete then coach, and about the physical and nutrition demands of the sport.

Kathryn (Kat) Ross is a 4 time paralympic rower and silver medalist. Kat talks to us about her impairment, her career as a para rower, and how she juggles her training with her work as a full time emergency department nurse.

Kendall Gretsch is both a Para triathlete and nordic skier who has won multiple medals at both summer and winter paralympic games. Kendall talks to us about her impairment of spina bifida, and how she balances the demands of two different sports the see her training and competing all year around.

Professor Claudia Juzwiak is a sports nutritionist, educator and researcher at the Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo who has worked with the Para Track & Field athletes in Brazil. Claudia talks to us about low energy availability and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) - how to assess it, its impact on athletes and potential causes. 

Carol Cooke, AM, is a 3 time Paralympic cyclist, multiple world champion and Paralympic medalist. Carol has multiple sclerosis and competes on a trike. Carol talks to us about her history as an athlete, how her sport has changed over the years, and what her training and nutrition looks like.

Sam Gardner is the senior Strength & Conditioning coach for U.S. Paralympics at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Sam talks to us about his journey as an S&C coach, how he works with para athletes, and the lessons he's learnt along the way.