Farmington, NM – There’s no holding back for some athletes. No matter the season, no matter the sport, some athletes cannot subdue the desire to compete. That insatiable craving to win is usually reflected in the amount of awards and trophies an athlete has collected over a career. Paralympian skier Alana Nichols of Farmington, N.M., is one of those rare athletes. Her athletic career is a textbook example of an athlete’s undying ability to overcome the odds and excel while doing just that.nQ: You had a very successful 2009-10 season, winning four Paralympic medals and three podium finishes at the World Cup in Italy – did any of it come as a surprise?
Nichols: All of the surprises actually, came in Italy. When we arrived at the speed events, I found my niche again and began skiing very strong and fast. My first win over there was super surprising but at the same time felt like that’s what I should have been doing all along at the World Cup. That win made it very exciting for the whole team because none of us had been skiing very well, so hearing the national anthem for the first time really motivated us.
Q: What did you do with all the awards?
Nichols: I have been traveling with my medals from Vancouver, so they haven’t really left my purse. There have been one or two occasions when little kids ran off with them, but luckily have been able to track them down.
Q: You must have an enormous purse to fit your globes in as well, right?
Nichols: I sent the globes back with my head coach. He has them in his office at the National Sports Center for the Disabled. One of these days I need to go pick them up.
Q: Rumor has it that no one should mess with you on the basketball court. Do you still play?
Nichols: I play on my community team up in Denver, but I took this past season off for the Winter Paralympics. People think that I quit playing because I took the season off, but that’s not true. I want to play. I support my teammates even though I was focusing on skiing this past year.
Q: Do you think that you will be playing in London for the 2010 summer games?
Nichols: I hope so. I will cross that bridge when I come to it, but it’s definitely something I’d like to do.
Q: You’re a gold medalist so most people wait in line for your autograph, but what basketball player would you wait in line for?
Nichols: Good question. I’d want Sue Bird’s autograph, she is one of my heroes. She’s a phenomenal all around athlete. On the men’s side, Steve Nash is one of my absolute favorite players in the world. I would wait for days to get an autograph from that guy.
Q: Besides skiing and basketball, what are your other interests?
Nichols: I’m big into yoga. As a ski racer it helps me maintain my flexibility, but that makes it less of a hobby and more maintenance for me. I love the outdoors, especially kayaking and camping. Jeeping up in the canyons is fun here in northern New Mexico. I just love doing anything with family and friends because I’m always traveling.
Q: Are you the first Olympian from Farmington?
Nichols: I believe so. That’s kinda cool now that I think about it.
Q: You are the first American woman to win a gold medal in both the winter and summer games, would you say that’s your greatest achievement?
Nichols: It’s really hard to put into words, but it’s weird to think that I made history partly due to just lucky timing. But, it’s also due to the fact that I have had opportunities to do the sports that I want to do and reach my full potential. If it weren’t for the Paralympian programs it wouldn’t have been possible.