Lindsey Carmichael facts for kids
Carmichael during bronze medal match, 2008
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| Full name | Lindsey Ann Carmichael | |||||||||||||
| Born | July 22, 1985 (age 40) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
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Medal record
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Lindsey Ann Carmichael (born July 22, 1985) is an amazing American archer. She won a bronze medal at the Paralympic Games, which are like the Olympics for athletes with disabilities. Lindsey is known for her skill in archery and her inspiring journey.
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Lindsey's Early Life
Lindsey spent her first years in Uvalde, Texas. Later, her family moved to Austin and then to Lago Vista, Texas. She went to middle and high school in Lago Vista.
Facing Health Challenges
When Lindsey was four years old, doctors diagnosed her with McCune–Albright syndrome. This condition made her bones weak. She had many bone fractures, including her leg, hip, and arm. Lindsey also needed several surgeries to help her bones heal. Because of this, she sometimes used body casts, crutches, or a wheelchair. Eventually, doctors placed steel and titanium rods in her leg bones to make them stronger.
Starting Archery
When Lindsey was 13 and in middle school, she found her passion. Her math teacher heard her talking about how hard it was to find sports for students in wheelchairs. He suggested she try archery.
Joining a Team
Lindsey started practicing archery every week at Archery Country JOAD. JOAD stands for "Junior Olympic Archery Development." It is a program by the National Archery Association for young archers.
Setting Records
Over the next few years, Lindsey became a very talented archer. She set many records for her age group. She competed against both able-bodied archers and archers with disabilities. Lindsey set numerous records at the Texas State level, national records in the US, and even world records!
In December 2002, Lindsey had a long surgery on her leg. She even broke her hip during the process and had to learn to walk again. But just a few months later, she competed in a national tournament. This showed her incredible determination!
Lindsey began representing the United States in international competitions in 2003. She competed in Madrid, Spain, and helped the US earn a spot at the 2004 Paralympics.
Competing in the Paralympics
Lindsey competed at the Athens Paralympics in 2004. During the qualifying round, she set a world record by scoring 603 points out of a possible 720. She shot at a target 70 meters away! Lindsey finished 6th in Athens as a standing female recurve archer.
Continued Success
After Athens, Lindsey kept competing. In April 2005, she was ranked 8th among all adult able-bodied women recurve archers in the United States. She also finished 2nd at the Texas Shootout archery tournament.
While studying English and history at the University of Texas, Lindsey continued to represent the US. She traveled to competitions in Korea, Slovakia, and England. She earned "All-American" and "Academic All-American" honors in 2006 and 2007 for her archery and studies. In 2006, Lindsey placed 5th in the National Archery Championship US Open.
Winning a Paralympic Medal
In 2008, Lindsey competed for the USA at the Summer Paralympics in Beijing. She won a bronze medal! Her score of 105 out of 120 was the highest women's recurve score that day. This was a big achievement, as it was the first individual archery medal for a US female archer since 1996.
During her time in Beijing, Lindsey wrote a blog called "Rings and Arrows." She shared her experiences, and many people enjoyed reading it.
Life After Competing
After retiring from competitive archery, Lindsey shared her knowledge. For three years, she gave private archery lessons in Austin, Texas. She was certified as a Level III Coach by USA Archery. This means she was highly trained to teach archery techniques. She also held workshops and helped train other archery instructors. In 2014, she stopped coaching to work as a Program Coordinator for the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering.
Motivational Speaker
Lindsey is also a motivational speaker. She shares her inspiring story with many groups. She speaks at schools, colleges, Boy Scout and Girl Scout events, and even for organizations like Wounded Warriors.
Writing Career
Lindsey also enjoys writing. Her short stories and poems have appeared in literary magazines like Analecta and Hothouse.
In 2023, Lindsey's short story "Marit the Resolute" was chosen for an anthology called Traveling Light. This book is expected to be published in summer 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Lindsey Carmichael para niños
