Josie Fouts

The Backstory:
Josie Fouts was born with a congenital limb difference, leaving her without her left hand. From early one she had to figure out how to adapt and complete basic tasks in her own way. Fouts ability to figure it out for herself, stayed with her and made it possible to take up cycling in 2018. She started by riding to and from her work at a lab at the University of California San Diego, a 14-mile commute one way. Soon after Fouts had an opportunity to train for the Paralympics and she took it and squeezed a lot out of it, winning gold at the U.S. Paralympics Track Cycling Nationals in the individual pursuit and team time trial. She followed that up by taking home two silver medals at USA Cycling Para-cycling Road National Championships. Fouts has been training hard and has her eyes set on making a splash in Tokyo.

Away from cycling:
Fouts has earned multiple degrees, in Nutrition and Nutritional Immunology, as well as a Master of Science from the University of California San Diego. She enjoys staying active healthy with her adventure and life partner, Taylor Warren, including training and backpacking together.

In their own words:
“I was super stubborn. I was like, ‘I don’t need anything adaptive, I’m not technically disabled. I saw myself as quote-unquote normal.”

 “If I’m trying to figure out how to get through life, I need to be on terrain where there is no line, it’s not about getting over it faster, it’s about getting through it.”

“Instead of the Paralympics being the finish line, it’s just a step to get me in shape for the FKT. As every athlete knows, it’s not just about the finish line, it’s looking past the finish line and then keep going.”

Learn more:
Team USA Page
Youtube: “Go Josie”
BETA: “Portrait: Josephine Fouts”
SingleTracks: “Go Josie- The Self Discovery of Parathlete Josie Fouts”
The Corker Collective: “Podcasts, prosthetics, and the paralympics w/ Josie Fouts”
Gear Junkie: “Leading the Pack: Adaptive Athlete Pedals Mountain Biking Toward Paralympics”