Brenna Wins Gold!

Brenna Graham lives in Louisville, CO and accepts services from Imagine!. She shared her story with Imagine!'s Public Relations team on her recent successes at the 2018 Winter Games.

Late last month, Brenna Graham competed in the 2018 Special Olympic Winter Games in Copper Mountain, CO. This was her 17^th year participating and took home three gold medals for snowboarding in Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Super Giant Slalom. 

Brenna first stepped into a pair of skis in her early teens and tried that for a couple of years. “The skis would cross over each other and I kept falling,” said Brenna. She noticed her peers riding the board and liked how it looked and gave it a try. “It worked out better. I have better balance and I like how my body moves with the board.”

In preparation for the competition, Brenna worked on smoothing out her turns and perfecting a fluid motion around each flag. “She gets better every day,” said her coach, David Graham, also her husband. This is David’s first year coaching Brenna. “When I’m not coaching, I like to volunteer and help people with their gear,” said David. The couple met at a Winter Games event seven years ago.

“Sports are a big part of my life,” said Brenna. With a history of sports in her family, she draws inspiration from her parents to compete, who are also athletes. With snowboard season coming to an end, Brenna has no trouble staying busy. This summer, she will continue to swim with Special Olympics, and would also like to try track and field for the first time.

Five years ago, Brenna participated in the X Games in Aspen,
CO, which really opened her eyes to the sport. “I got to meet Hannah Teter!” Said Brenna. Hannah is a three time snowboard medalist from the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

I asked Brenna, “What do you tell yourself when you’re on the slopes and feeling tired or worn out?” She replied, “I just push through. There is a sense of freedom while riding down the slopes, if I need support, I’ll just turn to the people around me.”

Congrats, Brenna on another successful season and thank you for sharing your story with us!