Candace Cable

Candace Cable (born July 15, 1954)[1] is a nine-time Paralympian. She was the first woman to medal in the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.[2] Cable is also a six-time winner of the Boston Marathon, women's wheelchair division[3] and winner of the first four Los Angeles Marathons.

Candace Cable
Personal information
BornJuly 15, 1954 (1954-07-15) (age 69)[1]
Glendale, California, U.S.[1]
Medal record
Representing  United States
Women's wheelchair racing
Summer Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Los Angeles 800 m wheelchair
Women's para athletics
Summer Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1980 Arnhem 200 m 3
Gold medal – first place 1980 Arnhem 400 m 3
Gold medal – first place 1992 Madrid 4×100 m relay TW3–4
Silver medal – second place 1980 Arnhem 4×60 m relay 2-5
Women's para alpine skiing
Winter Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1992 Tignes/Albertville Slalom LW10-11
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Tignes/Albertville Downhill LW10-11
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Tignes/Albertville Giant slalom LW10-11

Biography

Cable was born in Glendale, California.[1] She moved to South Lake Tahoe/Truckee, California after high school,[3][4] lying about her age to get a job in a casino. She was injured in a car accident on the Kingsbury Grade in 1975 at the age of 21. Following the accident, without the use of her legs, she began feeling sorry for herself and became addicted to heroin. At the time she said "A person in a wheelchair is not supposed to have fun or be happy. I'm both. Besides, I get the best parking spaces at shopping centers, and I don't have to wait in line at the movies." She went through drug rehabilitation in 1978.[5] She became acquainted with wheelchair sports while attending California State University, Long Beach[2] first trying swimming before finding wheelchair racing could let her work out with able-bodied friends.

"We're all only non-disabled temporarily. Sooner or later everyone's body breaks down. That puts me ahead of the game because I already know how to live outside of the old order."

After four months of training, Cable participated in the inaugural 1980 World Games for the disabled, 1984 Summer Olympics in wheelchair racing as an exhibition event, as well as the 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996 Summer Paralympic Games, and also five Winter Olympics. Cable won twelve Paralympic medals of which eight were gold medals. She was the first woman to medal in the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.[2]

References
  1. "Candace Cable". usopm.org. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum. September 23, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  2. "Athlete Spotlight - Candace Cable - Global Sports Development". Global Sports Development. August 7, 2015. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  3. Roth, Erin (December 19, 2001). "A new life: Since losing the use of her legs, Candace Cable has taken her life in a new direction". Sierra Sun. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  4. Hauserman, Tim (August 26, 2015). "Advocating for change · Candace Cable". The Tahoe Weekly. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  5. Donahue, Deirdre (June 25, 1984). "Wheelchair Racers Jim Knaub and Candace Cable Are on a Roll as They Push Toward Their Olympic Debut". People. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
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