Jackson Heights, NY — Laura G. Schwanger of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, finished in sixth place in her class in the Women’s Arms-only single scull event at the 2007 World Rowing Championship finals contested on September 1st in Munich, Germany.
More importantly, Ms. Schwanger’s sixth place finish in Munich qualifies her class boat for the 2008 Paralympic Games, to be held in Beijing, China.
Paralympics are Olympic-style games for accomplished athletes from six different disability groups, and both summer and winter games are contested in the same venue as, and shortly after, the Olympic Games.
Ms. Schwanger, who is a wheelchair user as the result of multiple sclerosis (MS), stated “I am honored and very proud of my success in this rowing competition. Being diagnosed with breast cancer last year was a shock to both my mind and my body, but I battled back against it. I think it’s very important for other women to know that they need to fight breast cancer as hard as they can, because many of us do survive it.”
Ms. Schwanger is an 11-time Paralympic medalist. She captured four gold medals in the 1988 Games in Seoul, establishing new world records in her class in women’s discus, shot put, and javelin, and also bringing home the gold in the grueling pentathlon competition. In 1992 at the Barcelona Games, Laura won three silver medals and one bronze medal in the same events, and in the 1996 Atlanta Games she snared three silver medals in the field events.
Ms. Schwanger is a veteran of service in the United States Army. Laura served on United Spinal Association’s Board of Directors in 1998 and 1999, and from 1999 through 2006, she was the director of United Spinal’s Philadelphia regional office. Ms. Schwanger was re-appointed to the organization’s Board of Directors in July of 2006.
United Spinal Association is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization formed in 1946 to provide expertise, create access to resources and strengthen hope, thereby enabling people with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) to fulfill their potential as active members of their communities. United Spinal advocated for and drafted significant portions of landmark federal legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Amendments Act, and we continue to provide critical health care and benefits counseling to military veterans from all wars with spinal cord injuries through our Vets First program. Membership is free and open to individuals with disabilities of the spinal cord of all ages. For more information, please visit www.unitedspinal.org or call 800-404-2898.
