Allison Jones

Sport: Alpine Skiing and Cycling
Residence: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Growing up with one leg, Allison Jones has learned the fine art of balance. No only is Jones a recent Denver University graduate with a degree in Engineer, she is a Paralympic medalist, three-time Worlds gold medalist, World Cup title holder and former national champion. All this because skiing while on family outings was so much fun, said Jones, she decided to pursue a life of it.

Jones was born without a right femur. When her family moved from Texas to Colorado, she began skiing at age 5. She was racing at age 8 with the Winter Park’s renowned disabled program. All of her hard work paid off because in 2001 she made the U.S. Paralympic Team.

At the 2002 Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, Jones won two silver medals in the Super G and Giant Slalom and took fifth place in the Downhill and Slalom. At the 2004 Worlds Championships in Austria, Jones won three gold medals in the Downhill, Giant Slalom (GS) and Slalom, along with a silver medal in the Super G.

Focusing more intently on her college engineering studies at University of Denver, Jones was limited to only the North American races in 2004, but still sparkled with a triumph in the first Slalom of the season, two other podiums and two fourth place finishes in six races. She also collected her second U.S. title, winning the only race she entered during The Hartford U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships in early 2005. "She's back full-time for the Paralympic season," Coach Kevin Jardine said, "and we expect her to be back at her usual high level. She's a great competitor." In 2005, Jones earned the three World Cup victories and was the U.S. Downhill national champion. Furthermore, at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy, Jones won the gold medal in slalom.

However, Jones has a second sport, cycling. In 2004 she was a member of the U.S. Paralympic Cycling team and competed in Athens, Greece. In 2006, Jones won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. Finally in 2007, Jones won a bronze medal in the time trial at the World Championships in Bourdeaux, France. Jones’ focus now is to make the 2008 Cycling Paralympic Team to compete in Beijing, China.

In addition to her studies, training and competition schedule, Jones is working with The Hartford, founding sponsor of U.S. Paralympics®, to help positively change public attitudes and awareness toward disability.