Penn State’s Shawn Morelli has become the face of US Para-cycling thanks to a storied career and consistent, stellar performances at major world competitions.
But the road has been anything but easy.
Morelli from Meadville Pennsylvania is a retired US Army Major. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1996 as an engineer officer. She is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the war in Afghanistan.
In 2007 Morelli was seriously injured during a deployment to Afghanistan when a roadside Improvised Explosive Device exploded during a routine mission. Morelli sustained severe neck and nerve damage, brain trauma and blindness in her left eye.
Three years later, a casual trip to a local bike store and exposure to competitive cycling at the 2010 Warrior Games…sporting competitions for disabled military personnel… and Ms. Morelli was hooked. She began competitive para-cycling later that year and has been competing in and winning world competitions since 2014.
Ms. Morelli is a three-time gold medalist winning gold at the 2016 (Rio) and 2020 (Tokyo) Summer Paralympic Games and winning four overall medals in both road and track cycling.
She is the former world record holder in the 3000m individual pursuit.
She became Penn State’s first Gold Medal winner in Paralympic history.
This summer Ms. Morelli qualified for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris at the age of 48.
What follows are daily entrees excerpted from her diary written while competing at this summer’s Paralympic Games in Paris France.
17 August
I left for team camp in Spain, on 16 Aug, arrived 17 Aug. travel is always a long process. If you want to know what a cyclist looks like going to the games here is what it looks like. That is 3 bikes, wheel case, 2 suitcases and yes my razor scooter. Sometimes I think I should have been a swimmer or a runner. 😊
Since in Spain we have done some recovery rides but mostly work on the Velo. I don’t have any pics of me in the Velo yet but here are some from the road rides. Camp has been pretty low stress as it is just to freshen up before we get to Paris.
Just Go Ride Your Bike…
23 August
Today 23 Aug we traveled from camp in Spain to the Paralympic Village. This was a long day. It started with leaving our hotel in Spain at 0730 and now with finally getting to bed at 2219. We had a lot of moving parts and on days like this you just take one step at a time.
Just Go Ride Your Bike…
28 August
So today is 28 Aug. Its opening ceremony. It’s been a crazy day. Started early with training then usual recovery, which is soft tissue, a massage and cold plunge. Makes for a long day esp with 40 min bus ride to and from the Velodrome. Training has been good. It is getting more exciting. Some have a lot of anxiety, but I am not sure what I feel. I am sure closer to my focus race I will have some.
Last night the road team came in so now the whole team is together.
I wish I was going to opening ceremonies, but I race tomorrow so more important things to focus on. It is not my main focus race but still a race at the Games. It’s so weird to think about. I mean I get to race with the best in the world - how cool is that - I guess that means I am one of the best in the world, which is weird I never consider myself like that. I am just me…small town kid living a dream I never knew was possible. Shows anything is possible even with a disability. I guess it’s not about the disability but ones ability and the possibilities when you believe.
Just Go Ride Your Bike…
9th September
Well it’s been a whirlwind and it concluded last night with Closing Ceremony. Paris 2024 is in the books and it’s time to move onward. I had a great game. I have to be real. I set a lot of PBs out there and that’s all I could ask of myself. There were definitely some ups and downs. Who would not have those, it’s one of the biggest stages or I guess THE biggest stage one can compete on and only a few get to live their dream. I am blessed in many ways.
Closing ceremony was wet and it rained on us the whole time. The show was good, not my kind of music but maybe I am just out of touch with the new music which is possible. I was asked a few days ago how I thought we will remember these games in the future as athletes, and what will others remember.
I feel like it will be remembered because it is one of the first games that people could watch from start to finish. They put us on a big stage and we hope that we inspire people who never knew what could be overcome and disabilities don’t have to hold you back. I hope it opens the eyes that it is possible to include us in sport. I hope it inspires an inclusion revolution as the French President put it.