▲ Daniel Knossen (Photo=Capture from TEAM USA website)


Daniel Knossen (42) of the United States, who lost both legs in an explosion while serving in the military and turned to ski training, is attracting attention as he competes in the third Paralympic Games.



Knossen, who won 6 medals (1 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) at the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games, placed 12th in the Beijing Paralympic men's middle seated competition held at the Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Center in China on the 8th local time, and the sprint held on the 5th. In the sit-down match, he finished 4th and did not qualify for the medal by a short gap.



Although the result was not as good as it used to be, sports fans who watched it gave Knossen a warm round of applause.



This is because Knossen, who was originally a soldier, did not get frustrated even though he lost both of his legs in an accident and showed a 'true human victory' by challenging the third Paralympic with tireless effort.



U.S. national coach Eileen Kerry praised his enthusiasm, saying, "Knossen is a typical player who challenges his limits, not the results of the match."



▲ 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony


Knossen, a former captain of the Navy SEAL Team 1 of the U.S. Navy's elite special forces, lost both legs in September 2009 while on a mission in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, when he stepped on a Taliban's improvised explosive device (IED).



He underwent more than 40 surgeries that saved his life, and Knossen was later transferred to an inland naval base.



Knossen, who started exercising with prosthetic legs there, took part in a marathon held in New York in 2011 and continued personal challenges such as running and completing a hand cycle.



Since then, he has lived a life of constant challenges, such as receiving a master's degree in public administration and religious studies from Harvard University, saying, "I am attracted to academic challenges as well as physical challenges."



Knossen, who became a model for many people, saying, "I realized that my limits are farther than I thought," is about to challenge himself again in the men's biathlon sedentary event on the 11th.



This is a 'news pick'.