Daniel Cnossen

Last updated

Daniel Cnossen
Personal information
Born (1980-05-17) May 17, 1980 (age 45)
Topeka, Kansas, United States
Sport
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Sport Paralympic cross-country skiing and Paralympic biathlon
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Men's Biathlon
Winter Paralympics
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Pyeongchang 7.5km sitting
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Beijing 4 × 2.5 km mixed relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2018 Pyeongchang 12.5km sitting
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2018 Pyeongchang 15km sitting
Men's Cross-country skiing
Winter Paralympics
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2018 Pyeongchang 15km sitting
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2018 Pyeongchang 10km classical sitting
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2018 Pyeongchang 1.5km sprint sitting

Daniel Cnossen (born May 17, 1980) is an American motivational speaker, and is a former Navy SEAL and paralympic athlete. [1] [2]

Contents

He competed as a biathlete and cross-country skier at the 2022 Winter Olympics. [3] He won gold in the Biathlon at the 2018 Winter Paralympics – Men's 7.5 kilometres in the sitting division. [4]

He is a native of Topeka, Kansas and a double amputee. [5] He lost both legs, above the knees, in the War in Afghanistan due to an improvised explosive device. [6] Cnossen also competed at the 2014 Winter Paralympics. Cnossen graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002. [7] He earned a Master of Public Administration in 2016 from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and also a Master of Theological Studies in 2018 from the Divinity School. [8]

2018 Winter Paralympics

Cnossen competed at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and created history in his second Paralympic appearance after claiming a gold medal in the men's 7.5km sitting biathlon event. [9] [10] In doing so he became the first American male and the second American ever to claim a gold medal in a biathlon event in either the Olympics or Paralympics after Kendall Gretsch, who achieved the feat at earlier at the same Paralympic games. [11] [12]

In addition to his gold medal achievement, Cnossen also clinched silver in the men's 15km cross-country skiing sitting, 12.5km biathlon sitting, 15km biathlon sitting and 10km cross-country classical sitting, and a bronze medal in the 1.1km cross-country sprint sitting. [13] [14] That year, Cnossen was named Male Paralympic Athlete of the Games as part of the 2018 Team USA Awards. [15]

References

  1. ↑ Pelley, Scott (November 26, 2023). "Navy SEAL veteran and Paralympian without legs climbs mountains". 60 Minutes. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Dan Cnossen Double Amputee, Former Navy Seal Lt. Commander & 7-time Paralympic Medalist". Leading Authorities, Inc. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  3. ↑ Green, Kirsten (February 3, 2022). "Six from University take part in Winter Games". The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  4. ↑ Paralympic results
  5. ↑ "Dan Cnossen". Team USA. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  6. ↑ Gearty, Robert (March 10, 2018). "Dan Cnossen, a Navy SEAL veteran and double-amputee, wins Paralympic biathlon gold". Fox News. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Green, Kirsten (February 3, 2022). "Six from University take part in Winter Games". The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ Green, Kirsten (February 3, 2022). "Six from University take part in Winter Games". The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Biathlon | Athlete Profile: Daniel CNOSSEN – Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Biathlon | Event Schedule Men's 7.5km, Sitting – Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Kendall Gretsch wins first U.S. gold medal of Paralympics". OlympicTalk. March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Kendall Gretsch, Dan Cnossen Win Team USA's First Olympic Or Paralympic Biathlon Gold Medals To Open Paralympics In PyeongChang". Team USA. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Cross-Country Skiing | Athlete Profile: Daniel CNOSSEN – Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Biathlon | Athlete Profile: Daniel CNOSSEN – Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  15. ↑ United States Olympic Committee (April 26, 2018). "U.S. Olympic Committee Announces 2018 Winners For Team USA Awards Presented By Dow, Best Of The Games". United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
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