Sarah Reinertsen

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| name = Sarah Reinertsen

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| image = ITU Paratriathlon Worlds - Handler for Sarah Reinertsen (9804038075) - Cropped.jpg

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|05|22|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = New York, USA

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| residence = California, USA

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| website = {{URL|www.alwaystri.com}}

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| sport = paratriathlete

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| disability = proximal femoral focal deficiency

| disability_class = TRI-2

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| updated = 16 February 2017

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Sarah Reinertsen (born 22 May 1975) is an American Paralympic triathlete and former track athlete. She was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a bone-growth disorder; her affected leg was amputated above the knee at age seven.{{cite web | url=http://www.challengedathletes.org/atf/cf/{10e89006-a432-401e-bc75-805e68ce5c27}/SarahReinertsen.pdf | title=Sarah Reinertsen | publisher=Challenged Athletes Foundation | accessdate=18 Jan 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006143037/http://www.challengedathletes.org/atf/cf/%7B10e89006-a432-401e-bc75-805e68ce5c27%7D/SarahReinertsen.pdf | archive-date=6 October 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}

Early athletics career

Inspired by amputee marathon runner Paddy Rossbach,{{cite book | title=In a Single Bound: Losing My Leg, Finding Myself and Training for Life |url=http://www.alwaystri.com/my-book/ |publisher=Globe Perquot Press | year=2009 | author=Sarah Reinertsen}} Reinertsen began to run at age 11. At her first international track meet, when she was 13, she broke the 100 m world record for female above-knee amputees. Her T42 400 m world record time, set in 1999, still stands today.{{cite web|url=http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athlete/schulz-martin-5503532/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901073138/http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athlete/schulz-martin-5503532/|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 September 2012|title=IPC Athletics World Records|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|accessdate=26 January 2013}}

Reinertsen was a member of the US Disabled Track Team for 7 years.{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/athletes/bios/sarah-reinertsen.aspx|title=Sarah Reinertsen|publisher=USA Triathlon|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} She represented the US at the 1992 Summer Paralympics{{cite web|url=http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&gender=all&name=reinertsen&fname=sarah|title=Athlete Search Results: Sarah Reinertsen|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|accessdate=18 Jan 2013}} but found herself racing arm amputees due to low numbers of female competitors.{{cite web | url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/paralympics-369699-reinertsen-leg.html | title=She still dreams about Paralympic gold | publisher=Orange County Register | date=27 Aug 2012 | accessdate=19 Aug 2013}} Although she was then world record holder in her own classification, she came last in her heat.{{cite web|url=http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/results2pdf.php?sport=athletics&competition=1992PG&gender=f&discipline=&event=100+m&eclass=TS4|title=Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games - Athletics - Women's 100 m TS4|publisher=International Paralympic Committee}}

Ironman Triathlon and other endurance events

Reinertsen was the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.{{cite web|url=http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2005/10/reinertsen’s-finished-business.aspx#axzz2IO6wnVxZ|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216071223/http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2005/10/reinertsen%E2%80%99s-finished-business.aspx%23axzz2IO6wnVxZ|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2013|title=Reinertsen's finished business|publisher=ironman.com|date=25 Oct 2005|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} She first attempted the race in 2004, but was disqualified when she reached the end of the bike course 15 minutes after cut-off time. She returned to Kona in 2005, with a motto of 'Unfinished Business', and crossed the finish line in just over 15 hours.

Reinertsen has run marathons around the world, including NYC, LA, Millennium New Zealand, London and Boston.{{cite web|url=http://athlinks.com/racer/34612510|title=Sarah Reinertsen's Results|publisher=Athlink|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} In 2011, she was the first female leg amputee to run in the Great Wall Marathon in China, completing the 10k event in 1:49.{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/tianjin/e/2011-05/26/content_12583112.htm|title=Running on Plenty|publisher=China Daily|date=26 May 2011|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}}

Reinertsen has broken the women's above-knee amputee marathon record several times{{cite web | url=http://www.astepaheadonline.com/profile.php?pid=15 | title=Sarah Reinertsen | publisher=A Step Ahead Prosthetics | accessdate=19 Jan 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130215131519/http://www.astepaheadonline.com/profile.php?pid=15 | archivedate=2013-02-15 }} but does not currently hold it.{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11494085|title=Denver runner sets amputee marathon record|publisher=Denver Post|date=20 Jan 2009|accessdate=18 Jan 2013}}

ITU Paratriathlon

In 2003,{{cite web|url=http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/heroes-running-2004?page=6|title=Heroes of Running 2004|publisher=Runner's World|accessdate=19 Jan 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130216175633/http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/heroes-running-2004?page=6|archivedate=2013-02-16}} 2007{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2008/05/physically-challenged-national-team-announced.aspx|title=Physically Challenged National Team Announced|publisher=USA Triathlon|accessdate=6 February 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823181139/http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2008/05/physically-challenged-national-team-announced.aspx|archivedate=23 August 2012}} and 2009,{{cite web | url=http://www.triathlon.org/athletes/results/32629/sarah_reinertsen | title=Sarah Reinertsen: Results | publisher=International Triathlon Union}} Reinertsen was ITU Paratriathlon World Champion in her classification. She placed second (behind Melissa Stockwell) in 2011.

Reinertsen was a member of the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Team in 2008, 2009,{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2009/05/paratriathlon-national-team-named.aspx|title=Paratriathlon National Team Named|work=USA Triathlon |date=8 May 2009|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}}

2010{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2010/04/usat-names-2010-usa-paratriathlon-national-team.aspx|title=USAT names 2010 Paratriathlon National Team|work=USA Triathlon |date=30 April 2010|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} and 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2011/05/usa-triathlon-names-2011-usa-paratriathlon-national-team.aspx|title=USA Triathlon names 2011 USA Paratriathlon National Team|work=USA Triathlon |date=16 May 2011|accessdate=18 Jan 2013}}

While better-known for her success in Ironman Triathlon, Reinertsen states that her "focus for 2013 and beyond is to train to qualify for the (newly introduced, sprint distance) triathlon event at the Paralympics in 2016".{{cite web|url=http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2010/12/paratriathlon-officially-added-to-program-for-2016-paralympic-games.aspx|title=Paratriathlon officially added to program for 2016 Paralympic games|work=USA Triathlon |date=11 December 2010|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}}

The Amazing Race

In 2006, Reinertsen competed with her friend, Ironman and prosthetist Peter Harsch,{{cite web|title=Peter Harsch|url=http://www.lavamagazine-digital.com/lavamagazine/20110405?pg=22#pg22|publisher=LAVA Magazine|accessdate=23 January 2013|date=April–May 2011}} on The Amazing Race 10, where they were eliminated in 7th place.

Honors and awards

1991: US Olympic Committee Best Female Athlete with a Disability
1998: New York Road Runners Club & Achilles Track Club Female Athlete of the Year
2004: San Diego Hall of Champions Challenged Athlete Star of the Year {{cite web|url=http://www.sdhoc.com/newswire/challenged-athlete-star-year|title=Challenged Athlete Star of the Year|publisher=San Diego Hall of Champions|accessdate=18 Jan 2013|url-status=usurped|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130216181430/http://www.sdhoc.com/newswire/challenged-athlete-star-year|archivedate=2013-02-16}}
2006: Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award{{cite web|url=http://www.oandp.com/articles/news_2006-08-10_02.asp|title=Reinertsen Follows ESPY with Amazing Race|accessdate=18 Jan 2013}}
2006: USAT Best Female Physically Challenged Triathlete of the Year

Miscellaneous

Reinertsen is a spokesperson for Ossur{{cite web|url=http://www.ossur.com/?PageID=13703|title=Team Ossur: Sarah Reinertsen|accessdate=18 Jan 2013}} and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

In 2004, she was featured on the cover of Runner's World{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystri.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Runners-World-Cover.jpg|title=Runners World, December 2004: cover|publisher=Sarah Reinertsen's website|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} and named one of the first eight "Heroes of Running" in the magazine. She has also appeared on the cover of Triathlete magazine,{{cite web|url=http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/06/features/the-20-best-triathlete-covers-of-all-time_30259/attachment/reinertsen|title=The 20 best Triathlete covers of all time|publisher=triathlete.com|date=June 2011|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} Max Sports & Fitness{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystri.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Max-Sports-Fitness-Cover.jpg|title=Max Sports & Fitness, March 2006: cover|publisher=Sarah Reinertsen's website|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} and Competitor,{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystri.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Competitor-Cover.jpg|title=Competitor, August 2008: cover|publisher=Sarah Reinertsen's website|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} and was photographed naked for ESPN's The Body Issue.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/your-latest-espn-mag-the-body-nude-cover-is-here-26393|title=Your latest ESPN mag The Body Issue nude cover is here|publisher=sportsbybrooks|accessdate=19 Jan 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012080447/http://www.sportsbybrooks.com:80/your-latest-espn-mag-the-body-nude-cover-is-here-26393 |archivedate=12 Oct 2009}} Reinertsen was featured in the 2008 Lincoln MKZ 'Reach Higher' campaign {{cite web|url=http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com.au/2008/02/paralympian-appears-in-lincoln-car-ads.html|title=Paralympian appears in Lincoln car ads|publisher=Media dis&dat|date=3 Feb 2008|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} and the 2011 'Nike Throwdown' TV commercial.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pArxa3EEqyI|title=Nike Women's Throwdown Anthem|publisher=youtube|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}} Alongside elite athletes including Mirinda Carfrae, Chris Lieto, Nathan Adrian and Dara Torres, she is one of the faces of the 2012 Team Refuel/Got Chocolate Milk? campaign.{{cite web|url=http://www.gotchocolatemilk.com/teamrefuel/captains|title=Team Refuel Captains|accessdate=18 Jan 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117045007/http://gotchocolatemilk.com/teamrefuel/captains|archivedate=2013-01-17}}

In 2009, Reinertsen released a memoir, In a Single Bound: Losing My Leg, Finding Myself and Training for Life.

She graduated from The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs with a BA in Communication and International Affairs, and received her MA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California.{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystri.com/about-sarah/|title=About Sarah|publisher=Sarah Reinertsen's website|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}} Formerly a sports journalist, once working for NBC, she is now a motivational speaker.{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystri.com/speaking/|title=Speaking|publisher=Sarah Reinertsen's website|accessdate=19 Jan 2013}}

A native of New York, Reinertsen now lives and trains in California.