Carson Clough may be the newest member of the U.S. Elite Paratriathlon Team, having just started triathlon two years ago — swimming his first lap in a pool since high school P.E. class in January 2022. But with his eyes on Paris and a World Championship race under his belt, “I can’t really call myself a newbie anymore,” he said.

Clough grew up playing lots of sports: hockey, soccer, basketball, surfing, and lacrosse. He was on the University of North Carolina’s lacrosse team in college. But then, in 2019, he was in a boating accident and had his right leg amputated below the knee.

He’d started a coffee shop after grad school, The Giddy Goat in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina — and spent two years just focusing full-time on getting that up and running.

So, when he was first looking to get back into sports, he actually thought sled hockey was going to be his thing. Then, he kayaked for a friend doing a swim across Tampa Bay as part of a fundraiser, and soon after got a mass email about the USA Triathlon virtual combine for paratriathletes.

“What grabbed my attention was the Olympic rings,” he said.

He immediately headed to the pool, swam a 50-yard warm-up and then 200-yard as hard as he could, and got out. That was his preparation for the combine.

Although he’d never clipped in before on a bike, his power numbers stood out and USA Triathlon helped set him up with a coach.

“They gave me a chance and brought me into the program,” he said.

His new teammates helped him understand this whole new world of endurance sports and gave him pointers. While he’d run as part of lacrosse, triathlon training was significantly longer. And bike handling was a tough new skill to learn.

“I’m really learning that it’s about working hard, but also working smart,” he said.

But he’s enjoying the challenge and getting to travel all over the world. Plus, he figures it’s good for his health and his life.

“Whether you’re doing it on one leg or two legs, triathlon is hard as crap,” Clough said.

Still a Newbie, Paratriathlete Carson Clough Has His Eyes on a Medal in Paris

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