October 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Minda Dentler * First Para-Athlete Woman in Ironman History to Finish World Championship Kona Ironman * Minda Dentler was born in Bombay, India and before her first birthday, she contracted polio, and ended up paralyzed from the hips down. Shortly after, her mother abandoned her at an orphanage. While in the orphanage a miracle happened – Minda won the human lottery. She was adopted by Bruce and Ann Dentler, her amazing parents and joined their family of their two children and another adopted son from Korea and moved to the U.S.A. She was now fortunate enough to get the medical care necessary to be able to walk with long leg braces and crutches. Growing up Minda always felt awkward as people stared at her all the time. She was embarrassed about her leg braces and I always hid her “chicken legs”. Minda longed to be a part of something. She came from an athletic family where her brothers and sister competed in track, tennis, wrestling and cross-country and she always had to cheer from the sidelines. When Minda was 28, a friend introduced her to Achilles International, an organization that enables people with disabilities to participate in sports. Her old feeling of exclusion from sports because of her disability went away and she started to see hope and possibility. She received her first handcycle from Achilles and a racing wheelchair from the Challenged

Minda Dentler - History Making Finish€¦ · Ironman 70.3 Berlin. When Minda arrived this year on the Kona course, she knew it was going to be her year! On October 12, 2013 Minda

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Page 1: Minda Dentler - History Making Finish€¦ · Ironman 70.3 Berlin. When Minda arrived this year on the Kona course, she knew it was going to be her year! On October 12, 2013 Minda

October 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minda Dentler * First Para-Athlete Woman in Ironman History to

Finish World Championship Kona Ironman *

Minda Dentler was born in Bombay, India and before her first birthday, she contracted polio, and ended up paralyzed from the hips down. Shortly after, her mother abandoned her at an orphanage. While in the orphanage a miracle happened – Minda won the human lottery. She was adopted by Bruce and Ann Dentler, her amazing parents and joined their family of their two children and another adopted son from Korea and moved to the U.S.A. She was now fortunate enough to get the medical care necessary to be able to walk with long leg braces and crutches.

Growing up Minda always felt awkward as people stared at her all the time. She was embarrassed about her leg braces and I always hid her “chicken legs”.

Minda longed to be a part of something. She came from an athletic family where her brothers and sister competed in track, tennis, wrestling and cross-country and she always had to cheer from the sidelines. When Minda was 28, a friend introduced her to Achilles International, an organization that enables people with disabilities to participate in sports. Her old feeling of exclusion from sports because of her disability went away and she started to see hope and possibility. She received her first handcycle from Achilles and a racing wheelchair from the Challenged

Page 2: Minda Dentler - History Making Finish€¦ · Ironman 70.3 Berlin. When Minda arrived this year on the Kona course, she knew it was going to be her year! On October 12, 2013 Minda

Athletes Foundation and that was the start of fueling that competitive fire within her. After many years of training and competing, Minda completed her first Ironman in Louisville in 2012 and secured a qualifying spot to the World Championship Ironman Kona that very same year. Unfortunately, during the bike portion of the triathlon, Minda failed to make the bike cut-off time and was disqualified from the race.

With a fire inside that even the biggest competitors can have, Minda came back stronger then ever this year. She earned her qualifying position for Kona by competing in Ironman 70.3 Berlin.

When Minda arrived this year on the Kona course, she knew it was going to be her year! On October 12, 2013 Minda Dentler beat all the odds and became the first woman in World Championship Ironman Kona history to complete the course in a wheelchair. *For Press Inquiries - Dan Strader 212.876.7085 [email protected]

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GEODESIC MANAGEMENT 212.876.7085 http://www.geodesicmanagement.com