Diana Golden (skier)

**Diana Golden Brosnihan** (née **Diana Golden**, March 20, 1963 – August 25, 2001) na she be American disabled ski racer. After she lose ein leg to cancer for age 12, she go on go win 10 world den 19 United States championships between 1986, den 1990 as three-tracker, anaa one-legged skier. Golden sanso win Olympic gold medal insyd giant slalom for de 1988 Calgary Games, wer na disabled skiing be demonstration sport. She participate insyd alpine skiing for two Winter Paralympic Games, insyd 1980, den 1988, wey she win two gold medals insyd de latter year. After she retire from skiing, cancer return insyd 1992, den 1996, plus ein last bout of cancer wey result for ein death insyd 2001.

## Early life

Diana Golden grow up insyd Lincoln, Massachusetts, wey she begin dey ski for de age of five, wey dey make regular trips to Cannon Mountain Ski Area plus ein parents. However, insyd 1975, for de age of 12, na ein right leg collapse while na she dey walk home from skiing wey doctors diagnose am bone cancer. As result, de doctors amputate ein leg above de knee make e stop de cancer from spreading.

Dey follow de surgery, na de first question Golden biz be say whether she sanso go fi be able to ski wey she make relieve say she discover dat she go be able to. After she be fit plus prosthetic device she learn how to walk den sanso then ski within six anaa seven months plus de help of de New England Handicapped Sportsmen's Association. For ein junior year for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School she cam turn member of de ski team wey by de age of 17 she join de United States Disabled Ski Team (USDST).

After high school, Golden go Dartmouth College den gain degree insyd English Literature for 1984 insyd. While der insyd 1982, she compete for de World Handicapped Championships insyd Norway, she win gold medal insyd de downhill den silver insyd de giant slalom. However, she then cam turn disillusion plus competitive skiing wey she join group of born again Christians. After college, she go job give local firm selling computer software before friend reintroduce am to skiing wey she rediscover ein love of am. Insyd 1985, she rejoin de USDST wey she gain sponsorships den scholarship make she be able to pursue am full-time.

## Skiing career

Within year of she sanso take up skiing, Golden win four gold medals internationally, wey dey include three insyd de 1986 World Disabled Championships. Na she be dominant insyd de United States Disabled Alpine Championships wey she win all four of de giant slalom, slalom, downhill den combined disciplines insyd both 1987, den 1988. For 1988 insyd, Golden sanso win two golds for de World Disabled Championships den most famously win gold insyd de giant slalom for de Winter Olympics for Calgary insyd, wer na de event be demonstration sport. Golden retire insyd 1990, buh before dis she win three gold medals for ein last World Disabled Championships insyd 1990 for Winter Park Resort insyd Colorado. For total thru out ein career Golden win 19 national, 10 World den one Olympic disabled gold medals.

Golden at first use outriggers wen she dey ski, buh she abandon dese for favour of de standard ski poles, so she be able dey reach greater speeds buh she dey require more strength den stamina. Insyd 1990, dey use de normal ski poles den one ski, na dem record Golden as travelling at 65 miles per hour during downhill race. As well as she dey compete insyd disabled events, Golden take part insyd able-bodied events wey she get de United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) make she pass de "Golden Rule" insyd 1985. Under dis rule, na de top disabled skiers be able make dem race after na de top 15 skiers take part, thus dey enable de disabled skiers make dem compete before de course cam turn rutted from heavy usage. Insyd 1987, she compete against able-bodied competitors, Golden fini 10th insyd USSA competition.

Golden receive number of awards during ein career, wey dey include de USSA ein Beck Award insyd 1986 wey dey honour de best female skier insyd international competition. Na ebe insyd 1988, however wey Golden receive de most recognition, wen both Ski Racing Magazine den de United States Olympic Committee name am female skier of de year, dem choose am ahead of able-bodied skiers.

## Later life

Golden cam turn motivational speaker dey follow ein skiing career, wey she sanso take up rock climbing den mountaineering wey lead to successful climb of Mount Rainier. However, insyd 1992, for de age of 29,  na dem diagnose am plus breast cancer, for wich na dem treat am plus bilateral mastectomies. While dem dey operate for ein top, doctors sanso found pre-malignant growth den as result dem komot ein uterus. After dis, she realise say she never go fi get kiddies, Golden cam be depressed den insyd 1993, she attempt suicide, something wich she sanso go consider.

Golden recover den resume motivational speaking but go give dis up for good insys 1996 wen na dem sanso diagnose am plus breast cancer, wich na ebe treatable buh now incurable. She return to New England from Colorado wey ebe hie wey she once more meet Steve Brosnihan, freelance cartoonist wey na she know am for Dartmouth College. Brosnihan den Golden fall love wey na dem marry insyd August 1997.

Golden die insyd August 2001, from de cancer at de age of 38. Dey follow ein death, Golden go inspire race series dem dey bell de "Diana Golden Race Series", host by Disabled Sports USA, for mountains wich dey offer programs wey dey teach de physically disabled how fi ski. De Diana Golden Opportunities Fund be de endowment wey dey support den encourage junior athletes plus disabilities insyd dema pursuit of excellence insyd skiing by dem dey provide scholarships give purchasing equipment anaa dey participate insyd adaptive race anaa development camp.

After ein retirement from skiing dem continue make dem dey honour Golden by various organisations. Insyd 1991, de Women's Sports Foundation give am de Flo Hyman Memorial Award, while insyd 1997 na dem induct am into de US National Ski Hall of Fame den de International Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. De citation for ein entry into de International Hall of Fame dey read "She persuaded the ski world to treat all athletes the same, regardless of ability or, in her case, disability."

## References


## External links

* Diana Golden at de International Paralympic Committee
* Diana Golden at de Team USA Hall of Fame (archive July 20, 2023)
* Diana Golden at Olympedia