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SPRING 2024 7 cavalier sports U niversity of Virginia third-year rower Sky Dahl will represent the United States in the PR3 Mixed Four with coxswain at the 2024 Paralympic Games Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 in Paris, France. Dahl earned the nod after helping the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships, which qualified the boat for the Paralympics, and solidified her seat with her performance at the USRowing selection camp in January. Despite the fast-paced nature of juggling collegiate and national team athletics, Dahl is committed to giving maximum effort to make both her country and University proud. "It's an incredibly exciting prospect to compete on the international stage while proudly wearing the colors of Team USA and my college team, UVA," Dahl said. "It can be hard to 'live in the moment' with new, excit- ing things happening, but this is something I aim for every day." Dahl, a Minneapolis native, arrived at UVA in 2021-22. In her second year at UVA in 2022-23, Dahl earned a seat in Virginia's Second Varsity Eight, which placed first at the ACC Championships and 10th at the NCAA Championships. Dahl was born with bilateral club foot, a congenital lower limb condition that caused physical abnormalities of her feet and ankles. Early interventions included corrective surger- ies and casting in her first year of life. Bilat- eral club foot impacts muscle development, strength and mobility in her legs and hips. She learned about the U.S. Paralympic Na- tional Team during her second year at UVA af- ter head coach Kevin Sauer introduced her to USRowing Director of Para High Performance Ellen Minzner. Dahl also partnered with UN- CUT at UVA to share her story of overcoming physical challenges in sports. "Coach Kevin has been a great source of support throughout this journey," Dahl said. "I am learning a lot along the way, balancing school, training and travel, but it means so much knowing I have the support and guid- ance of Kevin and all of my coaches." According to Dahl, para rowing shares many similarities with collegiate racing, es- pecially in the PR3 classification, where the mechanics of the sport and equipment re- main consistent. However, there are hurdles that a para athlete must overcome. "There are many modifications that can be made to the boat, shoes, seat, etc., to accommodate for mobility and strength vari- ations, and that adds a layer of specificity for each individual athlete," Dahl said. "Ath- letes in all areas may encounter assump- tions about their capabilities, which can create additional hurdles to overcome. Para athletes often have no choice but to make the very most of what they have, which serves as fuel for motivation, competitive- ness and the drive to defy expectations and limitations put on them. "I have experienced a smooth transition from collegiate to para racing, as I have be- come accustomed to using typical equipment and face few mobility challenges in my ankle flexibility," Dahl added. "I think para [rowing] offers a unique opportunity for athletes to not only display their fierce competitiveness, but also to advocate for inclusivity and equality in sport in all areas, not just rowing." Dahl also credits the UVA rowing program for her athletic and personal development and her time on Grounds as a defining chapter of her athletic journey. "We value 'legacy' as a central part of what we do and intend to carry on every day," Dahl said. "I've grown not only as an athlete, but also as a person through les- sons in resilience, discipline and teamwork. The intense level of training and competition have been instrumental in my athletic devel- opment, pushing me to strive for more and reach new levels." Dahl and her U.S. PR3 Mixed Four team- mates have their sights set on competing for a gold medal in Paris this August after racing to the silver medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, last September. Great Britain won the race, 7:22.20-7:25.01. "It would be a huge honor to win a medal while representing Team USA at the Para- lympics," Dahl said. "It would represent a culmination of the dedication, long hours of training, and perseverance my teammates and I have put into achieving this goal. "I think the greater message here is the testament to our resilience and the power of overcoming adversity." — Erich Bacher behind the scenes Third-Year Rower Sky Dahl Ready To Excel On International Stage Dahl (far left) will compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 in Paris, France. (Photo courtesy UVA)