Most athletes require a team of supporters to reach the pinnacle of their careers, and Carina Edlinger is no different.
After days of mobility issues and uncertainty, the Austrian visually impaired Paralympic skier nabbed a gold medal in the women’s cross-country skiing sprint event at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The humble athlete says she couldn’t have done it without her “village,” including physiotherapist and guide Lorenz Lampl, who skied with her for the entire event, and her guide dog, Riley.
After she won her event, officials recognized Riley’s contribution by giving Carina a special medal just for the guide dog.
Carina says having Riley with her in Beijing was a game changer. The dog is not only a companion who brings her comfort and relieves her stress, but he’s her perpetual guide, both on skis and off. The medal was well deserved, according to his owner.
“So it wasn’t the easiest task for the (International) Paralympic Committee with me,” Carina explained. “My dog is a guide dog. I see between 1.5 and 2 percent, so I am probably the most low-vision athlete who is competing here, so it’s kind of tricky, but he helped me – not only to find my ways but also emotionally over the past couple of days.”
During the medal ceremony, Carina and Lorenz received their medals on the podium. That’s when Carina pulled Riley’s medal from her pocket to honor this very special four-legged competitor. Watch the adorable moment in the video below, and don’t forget to share.
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