LHS grad wins gold medal, sets new world record
Anyone who knows a dedicated athlete knows how large and all encompassing the competitive spirit grows in their life — perhaps even more among those athletes who suffer a debilitating injury or contract a disabling disease. That competitive spirit in them continues to burn brightly no matter what obstacles the world might hurl at them.
Abby Dunn, a 2020 Lassen High School graduate, won the World Disabled Waterski Seated Ladies Trick Gold Medal at the 2023 International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation competition held Sept. 14-17 at Shortline Lake in Elk Grove, California.
And get this — Dunn not only won the gold medal, she set a new world record of 1,100 points beating her previous world record of 900 points.
Dunn was joined by athletes with physical disabilities from 11 countries who converged in California’s Central Valley to compete in the traditional three events of slalom, tricks and jumping.
And Dunn’s not done competing yet by a long shot.
Next month she will be in Thailand competing for the Disabled USA Olympic Basketball team.
Check out the video below to see Dunn in action. Go to 22:39 for the start of her run.
IWWF Disabled World Waterski Championships 2023 Day 4 – YouTube.
Dunn was stricken with acute flaccid myelitis when she was 13 and an eighth grader at Diamond View School. AFM is a relatively newly discovered and rare polio-like disease that affects about 1 in every 2.7 million children.
Lassen News applauds Dunn’s athletic achievements and celebrates her new world record. She truly should be an inspiration to all of us.
