Brandon Lyons Explained

Brandon Lyons
Disability Class:H3
Sport:Para-cycling
Birth Date:8 June 1990[1]
Birth Place:Langhorne, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education:Pennsylvania State University
Show-Medals:yes

Brandon Lyons (born June 8, 1990) is an American Para-cyclist. He will represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Career

In 2017, Lyons became the first handcyclist resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.[2]

Lyons made his international debut for the United States at the 2019 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships and won a silver medal in the mixed team relay H1–5 event.[3]

Lyons was training to compete at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, however, an infection in his leg that progressed to the early stages of sepsis ended his chances of competing at the Paralympics.[4] [5]

In August 2023, he represented the United States at the 2023 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships and won a bronze medal in the mixed team relay H1–5 event.[6] [7] In November 2023, he represented the United States at the 2023 Parapan American Games and won a silver medal in the road time trial H1–5 event and a bronze medal in the road race H3–5 event.[8]

On July 8, 2024, Lyons qualified to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[9] [10]

Personal life

On May 24, 2014, during a vacation in Ocean City, Maryland, Lyons dove from a pier into shallow water breaking his T5/T6 vertebrae which left him paralyzed from the chest down.[11] In 2015, he underwent a surgery where they opened his spinal cord and injected 1.2 million stem cells at his injury location, as part of a stem cell clinical trial.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brandon Lyons . . August 27, 2024.
  2. Web site: Brandon Lyons . teamusa.com . August 27, 2024.
  3. Web site: Cody Wills Races Toward World Championships Debut Alongside Pennsylvania Friend Brandon Lyons . usparacycling.org . Paul D. . Bowker . July 27, 2023 . August 27, 2024.
  4. Web site: 'If you really put your mind to it, you can actually achieve anything:' Paralyzed athlete inspires First Coast fans . . Heather . Crawford . February 24, 2020 . August 27, 2024.
  5. Web site: The inspiring stories of the Miami Marathon, from Paralympic hopeful to Ukrainian refugee . . David . Wilson . Susan . Miller Degnan . January 29, 2023 . August 27, 2024.
  6. Web site: Twenty-two road cyclists set to represent U.S. at 2023 Para-Cycling World Championships . usparacycling.org . Kristen . Gowdy . June 26, 2023 . August 27, 2024.
  7. Web site: Dana, Gaertner and Lyons Secure Bronze in Grand Relay Finale . usparacycling.org . Annemarie . Blanco . August 13, 2023 . August 27, 2024.
  8. Web site: Team USA closes out the Parapan American Games with podium sweep and five additional medals . usparacycling.org . Heidi . Ledermann . November 26, 2023 . August 27, 2024.
  9. Web site: St. Johns County handcyclist to compete in 2024 Paralympics for Team USA . . Heather . Crawford . July 8, 2024 . August 27, 2024.
  10. Web site: Mechanicsburg native's recovery journey leads to first Paralympics appearance . . Ryan . Ye . August 12, 2024 . August 27, 2024.
  11. Web site: Friends fundraising for Cumberland Valley graduate who was paralyzed over the weekend . . Anna . Orso . May 29, 2014 . August 27, 2024.
  12. Web site: Former Cumberland Valley athlete paralyzed on vacation to train for 2020 Paralympics . . Ryan . Baillargeon . April 27, 2017 . August 27, 2024.