AOTW: Fairbanks skier to compete in 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU) - Teagan Lockwood, 22, has been chosen among others to represent the United States at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

For Teagan, being part of the U.S. Alpine Ski team has been a long time coming.

She began skiing eight years ago, and according to her mother Nicole, in 2019 Teagan was selected as an Athlete Nominee for the the 2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games, to be held in Sweden that year.

However, in February 2020 she experienced a fall at a local competition, injuring her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).

“So that threw a hitch in the plans, and then COVID hit two weeks after ACL surgery, so she was stuck rehabbing at home in her living room and did not have the benefit of training with a team for two years,” Nicole Lockwood said.

Due to fundraising issues, the Sweden Games were eventually forced to move to Kazan, Russia in January 2023. However, those in turn were also cancelled.

In the intervening years, Teagan also endured two ankle surgeries.

Now, she’s on track to join her team in 2025 and is busy training. Teagan is looking forward to “making new friends” once she gets there.

Currently, she spends Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the Birch Hill slopes, honing her skills and conditioning her muscles.

Teagan also spends time doing what she calls “dry-land training,” which consists of workouts in the gym.

She said she enjoys downhill skiing, especially when she’s going fast like Olympic skier, Lindsey Vonn.

Teagan’s injuries, she said, have been the hardest part of the process, but she’s excited to be going to the games.

Nicole said she’s proud of all her daughter’s hard work. “As one of her coaches and her mom, it’s amazing to see your child persevere through everything that’s been thrown at her; delays, COVID, injuries, to now be this close to getting to the World Games.”

The event will be held in Turin, Italy from March 8-15.

Teagan has advice for those looking to get better at skiing: “Listen to your coaches.”

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