Days start early for skier Sandy Dukat ’94. Awake by dawn, Dukat normally begins stretching at 6:30 a.m., followed by two hours of schussing down the slopes in the Colorado Mountains where she lives.

By early afternoon, she tackles technique for another two hours before heading to the gym for an additional two-hour workout. “I love exercise,” she said. “I also do a lot of visualization. I see myself on the course.”

As she trains, Dukat refuses to let anything compromise her focus, including the fact that she must compete using only one leg. Dukat, who was born without a femur bone in her right leg, has been an above-the-knee amputee since age four.“

As a child, I don’t remember it ever being a burden,” she explained. “It’s just a part of who I am. People sometimes ask me ‘how can you ski on one ski?,’ but I can’t fathom skiing on two.”

A member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, Dukat finished 7th in the Disabled World Cup Ladies Downhill and 7th in the Giant Slalom in Canada last year. She also placed 10th in the Ladies Downhill, 8th in the Giant Slalom and 11th in the Super G at the World Cup Salt Lake City competition in 2001— impressive feats considering she only started skiing five years ago.

“The mogul runs, free-skiing days, being out in the mountains — it’s all a real adrenaline rush,” Dukat said. That skill and commitment recently scored Dukat a coveted spot on the 2002 U.S. Paralympic Ski Team, which headed to Salt Lake City following the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Once there, Dukat competed with her teammates against top athletes from 28 other countries in the Ladies’ Downhill, Giant Slalom, Slalom and Super-G. Her parents, two sisters and her brother were on hand to cheer her to victory. And cheer they did as Dukat secured the bronze medal in both the Ladies Slalom with a time of 1:54.68 and the Ladies Super-G with a time of 1:24.14.

Her teammates took home gold and silver at the Super-G, making it an American sweep at the medal ceremony.“To stand and watch three American flags raised with the thought of what our country means to all of us is an indescribable feeling,” Dukat said.“So much pride filled me, and I knew at that moment why I do what I do.” Look for more on this award-winning skier in future issues of Wittenberg Magazine.—Karen Gerboth ’93