Kendall Gretsch (born April 2, 1992) is an American triathlete,
biathlete and
cross-country skier.[1][2] She was born with
spina bifida.[1] She has competed in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics and has a unique distinction of winning gold medals in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics.
Gretsch was one of two Paralympic gold winners representing the United States, the other being
Daniel Cnossen, the first male biathlete to achieve a medal in either the
Olympics or the
Paralympics.[10][11]
2020 Summer Paralympics
Gretsch made her debut Summer Paralympics appearance representing
United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in
paratriathlon event and it also marked her second Paralympic appearance after featuring in 2018 Winter Paralympics.[12] She went onto clinch her first Summer Paralympic medal in her maiden Summer Paralympic appearance. She became a Paralympic champion in the women's
PTWC paratriathlon event whereas she notably defeated reigning world champion Lauren Parker of Australia to claim gold medal in the relevant competition.[13][14]
She also became the fifth American and third American woman to have clinched gold medals in both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics.[15]
2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships
She won the gold medal in the women's 7.5km sitting cross-country skiing event at the
2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships held in Lillehammer, Norway.[16][17] She also won gold medals in the women's 10km sitting biathlon event[18][19] and in the women's Individual sitting biathlon event. In cross-country skiing, she won the silver medal in the women's long-distance sitting event.[20][21]