The Backstory:
Though Josh Cinnamo was born with no arm below his elbow, he grew up willing and able to play any sport he wanted. He started playing soccer at a young age, tried his hand at football in high school, and then found track and field in college. After graduating college, he started CrossFit in 2011 as a way to stay active. In 2014, he returned to the track at the Gateway to Gold competition and has since been a part of the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Team. Over the years Cinnamo has set world records and broken them multiple times, breaking his record in shotput three times since 2017. He earned gold at both the 2019 World Championships and the 2019 Parapan American Championships.
Away from the track:
Cinnamo enjoys spending time with his wife and family, whether that’s being in the stands at sporting events or relaxing outside. He is intentional about using his voice and platform to speak on issues he cares about and encourage others to pursue their passions.
In their own words:
“Don’t worry about leading from the front. Lead from where you are.”
“For me, sports were an opportunity to prove (mostly to myself) that I was as valuable an asset in sports as the next person. When you’re born with a built-in disadvantage, as most people see it, you seek an environment as tough as possible as a proving ground. Sports of the unorganized variety set the tone for my love of competition.”
“Afraid of failure? How do you even know what that feels like unless you’ve failed? I love failure. Failure equals success. It means I’ve pushed past my abilities. What’s more admirable than that?”
“The big surprise for me was how competitive everyone was. It blew me away, and from there I was hooked.”
Learn More:
IPC Page
Josh Cinnamo Page
Luther College: “World Record Holder”
Team USA: “Shot Putter Josh Cinnamo Breaks Own World Record To Win First World Title”
Team USA: “Josh Cinnamo Breaks His Own World Record To Close World Championships”
TEAM USA
Paralympian 2019|
1 🥇
- Sport: Track & Field
- Limb Difference:
- DOB: 2/18/81
- Residence: San Diego, CA
- College: Luther College
- Previous Games: 2019|
- Classification: F46