It was more than 10 years ago when Eric McElvenny lost part of his right leg when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while serving with the Marines in Afghanistan.
He didn’t want to let that hold him back from staying in shape, so he decided to turn to Paralympic competition.
His journey has taken him all over the country and beyond. The Bethel Park native will be competing in this summer’s Paralympic Games, set for Aug. 28-Sept. 8, in Paris.
It will be his second appearance in the games, where he will race in the sprint triathlon.
For McElvenny, 41, the pressure this time around is a little less than when he competed in the 2021 games in Tokyo, where he placed sixth in 1 hour, 6 minutes, 28 seconds.
“The training has gone well for me this time around,” he said. “I had a couple of injuries to work through last year, but I’m on track for the games next month.”
The first day of the competition is set for Sept. 1, and McElvenny is more than excited for another opportunity to compete.
“This time around, the field has gotten a lot younger than when I started, which makes the competition great and the times even faster than they had been previously,” said McElvenny, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in mechanical engineering before serving with the Marine corps.
The sprint triathlon — part of the Paralympic Games for the third time — is drawing intense competition from a younger demographic. McElvenny jokingly says he is one of the older members of Team USA.
“I got into the event when I was in my 30s, but the guys coming in now are in their early 20s, which makes me feel like one of the old guys,” he said.
McElvenny’s preparation has included competing in Ironman races, which has helped vastly improve his times in the sprint triathlon. He has competed in eight Ironman races, posting a personal best time of 10 hours, 20 minutes. He’s also run two full marathons, finishing one in 3 hours, 22 minutes.
As opposed to a 2.4-mile swim, 100-mile-plus bike ride and a marathon to finish in Ironman races, the sprint triathlon next month will include a 750-meter swim, 20K bike and 5K run.
That stamina McElvenny has built up over time has helped him succeed.
“The bike is my strength out of the three events, and one where if I’m a little behind in the swimming, I can catch right back up on the bike,” McElvenny said.
McElvenny hopes pool training will prepare him for the swimming portion in the Seine River, which has been in the news throughout the Olympic Games, as officials had to postpone races due to poor water quality. Athletes raced in the water this past week, which is a good sign for the Paralympic Games next month.
McElvenny hopes his experience in the event will help him as he aims to medal for Team USA.
