Amy Palmiero-Winters
Encyclopedia
Amy Palmiero-Winters is a below-knee amputee who currently holds eleven world records in various track events. In 2010, she was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award
as the top amateur athlete in the United States and the ESPN ESPY Award
as the top female athlete with a disability in the world.
, and competed in track and distance running from a young age. In 1994, she was involved in a motorcycle accident which crushed her left leg. After three years and twenty-five surgeries, her leg was amputated
below the knee. She would not be able to run at all until three years after the amputation.
. Despite being five months pregnant and running on a prosthetic leg only meant for walking, she finished second in her division. She entered the 2005 New York City Triathlon
the following summer, still using a walking prosthesis as well as a bike borrowed from her employer, and placed third in her division.
At this point, Palmiero-Winters decided to engage in running on a more serious level. After obtaining a highly-customized prosthetic leg from A Step Ahead Prosthetics in Hicksville, NY, she decided to relocate to New York in order to become a member of Team A Step Ahead, a group of amputee athletes professionally coached and sponsored by A Step Ahead Prosthetics.
By May 2006, Palmiero-Winters had been training extensively and, with a new prosthetic, she ran the New York City Marathon
in 3:24 and broke the world record for a below-knee female amputee by more than twenty-five minutes. She followed this up by running the 2006 Chicago Marathon
in 3:04, which stands as the best marathon time for a below-knee amputee, male or female.
to the more demanding ultramarathons
, which are races of more than fifty miles. She would run ten ultramarathons between 2009 and 2010, finishing first in the female division at the Heartland 100 Mile in October, 2009 and finishing first overall at the Arizona Road Racers Run to the Future twenty-four-hour race on December 31, 2009 by running 130.4 miles during the allotted time. It was the first time an amputee had won an ultramarathon.
After this performance, Palmiero-Winters was named to the US ultrarunning team for the IAU 24-Hour Ultramarathon World Championships in Brive, France. It was the first time an amputee had been named to a United States able-bodied championship team. On May 17, 2010, she finished 18th in the female division at the World Championships, running 123.99 miles.
Palmiero-Winters' next race was the Western States Endurance Run
on June 26, 2010. She became the first amputee to finish the 100-mile race. By finishing in 27:43:10, she received the bronze buckle presented to runners who finish in under thirty hours.
In 2011 Palmiero-Winters became the first female amputee to finish the Badwater Ultramarathon
. She had a finish time of 41:26:42.
as the best amateur athlete in the country and also won ESPN's 2010 ESPY
award as the top female athlete with a disability. In 2009, she was also named the director of Team A Step Ahead.
James E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
as the top amateur athlete in the United States and the ESPN ESPY Award
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
as the top female athlete with a disability in the world.
Personal life and amputation
Palmiero-Winters was born in Meadville, PennsylvaniaMeadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
, and competed in track and distance running from a young age. In 1994, she was involved in a motorcycle accident which crushed her left leg. After three years and twenty-five surgeries, her leg was amputated
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
below the knee. She would not be able to run at all until three years after the amputation.
Early running career
In 2004, Palmiero-Winters entered the Silver Strand MarathonSilver Strand (San Diego)
Silver Strand, or simply The Strand, is a low, narrow, sandy isthmus long in San Diego County, California partially within the Silver Strand State Beach. It connects Coronado "Island" with Imperial Beach. Together with the Point Loma peninsula it shelters and defines San Diego Bay...
. Despite being five months pregnant and running on a prosthetic leg only meant for walking, she finished second in her division. She entered the 2005 New York City Triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
the following summer, still using a walking prosthesis as well as a bike borrowed from her employer, and placed third in her division.
At this point, Palmiero-Winters decided to engage in running on a more serious level. After obtaining a highly-customized prosthetic leg from A Step Ahead Prosthetics in Hicksville, NY, she decided to relocate to New York in order to become a member of Team A Step Ahead, a group of amputee athletes professionally coached and sponsored by A Step Ahead Prosthetics.
By May 2006, Palmiero-Winters had been training extensively and, with a new prosthetic, she ran the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 3:24 and broke the world record for a below-knee female amputee by more than twenty-five minutes. She followed this up by running the 2006 Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
in 3:04, which stands as the best marathon time for a below-knee amputee, male or female.
Ultramarathons
By 2009, Palmiero-Winters had decided to switch from marathonsMarathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
to the more demanding ultramarathons
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
, which are races of more than fifty miles. She would run ten ultramarathons between 2009 and 2010, finishing first in the female division at the Heartland 100 Mile in October, 2009 and finishing first overall at the Arizona Road Racers Run to the Future twenty-four-hour race on December 31, 2009 by running 130.4 miles during the allotted time. It was the first time an amputee had won an ultramarathon.
After this performance, Palmiero-Winters was named to the US ultrarunning team for the IAU 24-Hour Ultramarathon World Championships in Brive, France. It was the first time an amputee had been named to a United States able-bodied championship team. On May 17, 2010, she finished 18th in the female division at the World Championships, running 123.99 miles.
Palmiero-Winters' next race was the Western States Endurance Run
Western States Endurance Run
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
on June 26, 2010. She became the first amputee to finish the 100-mile race. By finishing in 27:43:10, she received the bronze buckle presented to runners who finish in under thirty hours.
In 2011 Palmiero-Winters became the first female amputee to finish the Badwater Ultramarathon
Badwater Ultramarathon
The Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a course starting at below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney...
. She had a finish time of 41:26:42.
Awards
Palmiero-Winters was awarded the 2009 AAU James E. Sullivan AwardJames E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
as the best amateur athlete in the country and also won ESPN's 2010 ESPY
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
award as the top female athlete with a disability. In 2009, she was also named the director of Team A Step Ahead.