Iraq Amputee Becomes Paralympics Athlete

Iraq Amputee Becomes Paralympics Athlete
Melissa Stockwell Is the First Iraq Veteran to Qualify for the Paralympics in Beijing
April 18, 2008



When Melissa Stockwell heard she had broken an American record a few weeks ago in the 400-meter freestyle event, it didn't seem real.
Army Lt. Melissa Stockwell will represent the U.S. at the Olympics.

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"I looked up at the clock, and I couldn't believe it was my time," she told ABC's Bob Woodruff. "To hear my name and the American record in the same sentence was really cool."

Stockwell's achievement qualified her to compete on the U.S. team at the Paralympics in Beijing this summer and represents a personal milestone -- not only did she shave 17 seconds off her time to qualify, her feat signifies just how far she's come in the last four years.