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Sandra Graf
Sandra Graf
Sandra Graf
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Sandra Graf (born 9 December 1969)[1] is a Swiss wheelchair athlete. Graf competes in wheelchair races of a variety of distances.

Key Information

Life

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Graf has twice put her career on hold to have children. In 2003 a lung embolism set back her training and kept her from competing in the marathon and 5,000-meter distances, although she still competed in the 800- and 1,500-meter races.[2]

In 2008, during her first London Marathon wheelchair race, she both won the race over American Amanda McGrory and Briton Shelly Woods and set a new course record of 1:48:04.[3] She has competed in five consecutive Summer Paralympics from 2000 to 2016, and won bronze medals in the marathon in 2008 and 2012. In 2012, she also won the road time trial H3 cycling event, in which she participated using a handcycle.[4]

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Sandra Graf

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Sandra Graf is a Swiss wheelchair athlete known for her extensive career in wheelchair racing and handcycling, competing at the highest levels for over two decades and participating in six Paralympic Games from Sydney 2000 to Tokyo 2020. She has won four Paralympic medals: bronze in the women's 5000 m T54 at Sydney 2000, bronze in the women's marathon T54 at Beijing 2008, gold in the women's time trial H3 handcycling event at London 2012, and bronze in the women's marathon T54 at London 2012. Regarded as a legend in Swiss Paralympic sport, Graf has excelled in road marathons, securing victories such as consecutive wins at the Dubai Marathon and strong performances at the Boston Marathon, while also earning 14 world medals across both disciplines between 2002 and 2015. Graf began her international career focusing on wheelchair racing in the T54 classification, achieving consistent top finishes in distances ranging from 400 meters to the marathon. She later incorporated handcycling, where she claimed her sole Paralympic gold medal in the time trial, demonstrating versatility across sports. Even after stepping away from track racing, she continued competing on the roads, completing her eighth Boston Marathon in 2019 and highlighting her enduring passion for outdoor training, including cross-country skiing to maintain fitness. Her longevity in the sport, marked by discipline and perseverance, has made her a mentor to younger athletes and an inspiration in wheelchair athletics.

Early life

Childhood in Appenzell

Sandra Graf was born on 9 December 1969 in Gais, a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland. She grew up in the scenic Appenzell region, specifically in Gais, where she led an extremely active childhood and youth. As a young athlete, she regularly competed in ski races together with her sisters and participated in athletics as well as large-field gymnastics at the TV Teufen gymnastics club. Despite her evident talent and involvement in competitive skiing, she opted for an apprenticeship rather than committing to a full-time professional skiing career. This early enthusiasm for diverse sports activities laid a foundation for her later engagement in para-sports.

1991 spinal cord injury and rehabilitation

In September 1991, Sandra Graf sustained a spinal cord injury during a gymnastics training session when she fell from the swinging rings, resulting in paraplegia. Her injury led to a T54/WH4 classification. She underwent initial rehabilitation at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil. While still in rehabilitation, she participated in a trial course for monoskiing and quickly returned to snow sports. Immediately after her discharge from Nottwil, she joined another week-long skiing course.

Para-athletic career

Transition to para-sports and monoskiing

Following her spinal cord injury in 1991 and rehabilitation at the Paraplegikerzentrum Nottwil, Sandra Graf transitioned to para-sports by taking up monoskiing, which enabled her to return to snow sports. Still during her rehabilitation, she participated in a trial course in monoskiing (Monoskifahren), quickly becoming active on snow again; initial concerns that skiing from a sitting position would feel fundamentally different from her previous standing skiing soon proved unfounded. After completing rehabilitation, she attended another one-week skiing course, which paved the way for her to join training camps and races and gain selection to the national squad. Approximately three and a half years after her injury, Graf competed at the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, marking her Paralympic debut in sitting alpine skiing. There, she placed fourth in the giant slalom (Riesenslalom).

Wheelchair racing phase

Sandra Graf competed in wheelchair racing in the T54 classification, specializing in track events over 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, and the marathon. She participated in four consecutive Paralympic Summer Games during this phase of her career. At the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, she placed 5th in the women's marathon T54. In 2004 at the Athens Paralympics, she finished 6th in the 5000 m T54, impacted by a technical defect during the race. Graf achieved her first Paralympic medal in wheelchair racing at the 2008 Beijing Games, securing bronze in the marathon T54. She repeated this success at the 2012 London Paralympics, again earning bronze in the marathon T54. This period marked her establishment as a consistent international contender in middle- and long-distance wheelchair racing before her later shift in focus.

Shift to handcycling

After the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Sandra Graf shifted her focus to handcycling, a change driven by the need for more flexible training arrangements that better accommodated her family life. This transition allowed her to continue competitive para-sport while balancing personal responsibilities. At the 2012 London Paralympic Games, Graf won gold in the women's road time trial H3 on handcycle with a time of 33:21.61. She also secured a bronze medal in the wheelchair marathon T54 at the same Games, highlighting her ability to compete successfully in both disciplines. Graf maintained her handcycling career in the subsequent years, earning several podium finishes at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships between 2015 and 2021, including silver and bronze medals in the road race and time trial events in classes such as H4. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games held in 2021, she competed in the WH4 category, placing 11th in both the women's time trial H4-5 and the road race H1-4.

Paralympic participation and medals

Multiple Games appearances and key results

Sandra Graf has competed in six Summer Paralympic Games from 2000 to 2020, representing Switzerland in wheelchair athletics and later paracycling. She initially specialized in the T54 classification for wheelchair racing events, including marathons and track races, before transitioning to handcycling in the H3 and H4 classes. Her Paralympic medal tally consists of one gold and two bronzes, all won in Summer Games. She claimed a bronze in the women's marathon T54 at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics. Her standout performance came at the London 2012 Paralympics, where she secured a gold medal in the women's individual time trial H3 (handcycling) and a bronze in the women's marathon T54. Graf also participated in the Athens 2004, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics without adding to her medal count, though she continued to compete in handcycling events at the latter two Games. At the Rio 2016 Paralympics, she served as Switzerland's flag bearer during the opening ceremony. Her first Paralympic experience was at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Paralympics, where she finished fourth in monoskiing, marking her entry into Paralympic competition before shifting focus to summer sports.

Other competitions and records

Marathon victories and world records

In 2008, Sandra Graf achieved a standout victory in her debut at the London Marathon wheelchair race, winning the women's division with a course record time of 1:48:04 and finishing ahead of American Amanda McGrory and Briton Shelly Woods. This performance established her as a formidable marathon competitor in the wheelchair category. That same year, Graf set a world record in the marathon with a time of 1:35:44 at the Padua Marathon, which also marked her personal best and remained a benchmark in subsequent years.

World and European Championships podiums

Sandra Graf achieved one podium finish at the IPC Athletics World Championships, securing a bronze medal in the women's marathon T54 event at the 2002 championships held in Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. No podium finishes for Graf are documented in European Championships based on official Paralympic records and related sources. Her international competitive record in these championships remains limited compared to her Paralympic appearances and marathon successes.

Personal life and retirement

Family, health challenges, and post-sport activities

Sandra Graf is married to Martin, and the couple has two daughters, Melanie (born 1994) and Mara (born 1997). Her athletic career faced significant interruptions due to the births of her children and a lung embolism in 2003, which required time away from competition for recovery. Graf resides in Gais AR and follows the personal motto "Lebe dein Leben" (Live your life), reflecting her approach to balancing challenges and opportunities. After retiring from competitive sport in 2021, she has stayed active by participating in TV Teufen and Rollstuhlclub St. Gallen activities, engaging in cross-country skiing, and supporting her daughters' involvement in sports.

Media appearances and public profile

Sandra Graf has made limited media appearances, primarily as herself in connection with her para-athletics career. She appeared as Self in one episode of the television series Oops! in 2000. In 2008, she featured as Self, credited specifically as Women's Wheelchair Marathon Competitor, in one episode of The London Marathon television series. These two appearances represent Graf's only documented credits in television or film. She holds no acting, production, or other professional roles in media beyond these self-appearances as an athlete. Her public profile remains modest and largely confined to coverage within para-sports contexts.
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