She’s a top-ranked archer in her
division, but needs funding to get to Rio
She’s a La Crosse native. An Army veteran. And a Paralympian getting ready for her shot at gold in the Rio Olympics.
Lia Corryell will compete in archery for the U.S. when the Paralympic games begin early next month.
She has a progressive and debilitating disease similar to MS. The woman, over 50 now, picked up a bow for the first time just a couple of years ago.
Despite being new to the sport, however, she knows this is her time. And she’s known that for awhile.
“If I was going to make the Paralympic team, this is my shot,” she said. “This is a progressive disease and it’s still progressing, so 2020 is probably out of the question.
“So, I decided, this is my goal, what do I need to do to get there? And I’ve done everything possible.”
She’s done all she can to qualify for the Games. Now, she needs help with travel. A fundraiser at Champions in Galesville, Wis., will hopefully help solve that issue. There’s also a GoFundMe page here.
“I’m just this kid that grew up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, poor,” Corryell said. “I mean, we were really, really desperate growing up. There were eight kids in my family.
We’re talking cheese and food stamps for many, many years. And I’m going to Rio. And that’s my message: Live it like you mean it.”
Coryell says she works out six days a week. And, although she’s pretty new to the sport – she’s been confined to a wheelchair for the last few years and only picked up archery in 2014 as part of an adaptive sports clinic – she is one of the top-ranked archers in the world in her division.
She’s also undaunted by the challenge. You can tell in how she predicts she’ll do at the games: “Very well,” she said without hesitation.
“Part of that is just confidence,” Corryell continued. “I’m going to roll up to the line like a boss. I’m can to do this. I know I can do this. I shoot my bow 300 times every single day.”