Army Veteran and USA Gold Medalist, Lia Coryell, holds the record as the USA’s first and only women W1 archer. Overcoming childhood trauma, her MS diagnosis, numerous health battles in the global pandemic, and giving it everything to shoot on the world stage at two Paralympic Games, Coryell doesn’t talk of winning, just of showing up, shooting her shot, and leaving her mark.
Lia is a proud Army veteran, Wisconsin native and current Texan. She is an active community leader, advocate coach and educator. Lia did not begin her athletic journey until the age of 49 through a DoD/VA Adaptive Sports program.
Lia is currently USA Indoor Champion, USA Outdoor Champion, World Champion, Continental Champion and Pan American Champion in the W1 Para Archery class. In the USA - Lia competes in the men’s division. Lia is America’s first and only competitive female W1 due Progressive MS which classifiers her as a Neuro-quad (impairments in all 4 extremities and core).
She is currently ranked #1 in the world, has been ranked in the top 10 for 7 years, a member of four World Championship teams and is a two time Paralympian in the sport of Para Archery. She holds multiple world, continental and national records.
Lia has made American and World History by challenging stereotypes and defying limited expectations. She is the very first para athlete to be elected by able bodied Olympians to represent them as a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committees Board of Directors and as a member of USA Archery Board of Directors.
She was the very first person to use a wheelchair to gain certification as a Level 4 World Class Elite coach. She has never had intentions of coaching in any other country than her beloved USA - she just wanted to prove that a coach does not need to stand or walk to build amazing, talented, winning and record breaking athletes - para or able bodied.
Full podcast episodes found here
https://perfectlyflawed.buzzsprout.com/
Video available on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoXB8ZAFZKFxcKmLiwFMOVw
The Pink Beret Archery Team
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