Ann YOSHIDA (USA)
United States
Age:
46 years
Languages:
English
Federation:
AMERICAN CANOE ASSOCIATION (ACA)
Biography
Further Personal Information
BIOGRAPHY
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | VL1 | 2016 | Duisburg, GER | 1:18.730 |
| 2 | VL1 | 2015 | Milan, ITA | 1:18.539 |
| 3 | V1 200m A | 2013 | Duisburg, GER | 1:31.382 |
| 13 | KL1 | 2016 | Duisburg, GER | 1:16.431 |
| DNS | V1 200m A | 2014 | Moscow, RUS | DNS |
OCCUPATION
Occupational Therapy
WHEN/WHERE DID YOU START CANOEING/ KAYAKING?
She began to pursue the sport in 2012.
REASON FOR TAKING UP THE SPORT
"I started paddling on a recreational basis. I grew up as a surfer, and later when I moved to Utah, Nevada, Korea and Oregon, waves were hard to come by. I started paddling more frequently out of the desire for time in and on the water. As a Hawaiian, water time is part of my culture. It wasn't until some of my friends asked me to join as an outrigger canoe paddler at the IVF [International Va'a Federation] worlds in 2012 that I found the excitement of competitive paddling."
NAME OF COACH
Stephen Knight [personal], from 2013
SPORTING PHILOSOPHY/ MOTTO
"When you focus on being normal, you exclude the possibility of being extraordinary."
OTHER INFORMATION
Classification
KL1 (SportsDeskOnline, 15 Sep 2016)
Origin of Impairment
Acquired (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
Impairment Details
In 2000 she was involved in an accident in Utah, United States of America, when a truck went through a red light and hit her car. She was paralysed from the chest down, sustained a brain injury and a ruptured aorta. She was in a coma for several months. (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
General
RIO CHALLENGES
She developed edema [swelling] in her legs and feet from the travelling involved to get to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She required hospital treatment when the swelling did not subside, but recovered in time to compete, although her event did not go to plan. "I started racing, and I had a great start. I was at about 100 metres and I flipped. It was kind of relieving, like the pressure was off, but it was also quite devastating." (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
HIGHER EDUCATION
She has studied in United States of America at Pacific University, Utah State University, University of Hawaii and Brigham Young University. She also worked as a professor of social occupational therapy at Far East University in Republic of Korea. (teamusa.org, Aug 2013; spinalpedia.com, 25 Jul 2013)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She co-founded AccesSurf, a non-profit organisation providing ocean access for people with impairments in Hawaii, United States of America. (pacificu.edu, Jan 2017)
KL1 (SportsDeskOnline, 15 Sep 2016)
Origin of Impairment
Acquired (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
Impairment Details
In 2000 she was involved in an accident in Utah, United States of America, when a truck went through a red light and hit her car. She was paralysed from the chest down, sustained a brain injury and a ruptured aorta. She was in a coma for several months. (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
General
RIO CHALLENGES
She developed edema [swelling] in her legs and feet from the travelling involved to get to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She required hospital treatment when the swelling did not subside, but recovered in time to compete, although her event did not go to plan. "I started racing, and I had a great start. I was at about 100 metres and I flipped. It was kind of relieving, like the pressure was off, but it was also quite devastating." (nbcnews.com, 28 Nov 2016)
HIGHER EDUCATION
She has studied in United States of America at Pacific University, Utah State University, University of Hawaii and Brigham Young University. She also worked as a professor of social occupational therapy at Far East University in Republic of Korea. (teamusa.org, Aug 2013; spinalpedia.com, 25 Jul 2013)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She co-founded AccesSurf, a non-profit organisation providing ocean access for people with impairments in Hawaii, United States of America. (pacificu.edu, Jan 2017)
CLASSIFICATION
KL1
