GRAFTON, Wis. — Just hours before the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, a Grafton athlete is already setting his sights on Los Angeles 2028.
Watch: Grafton athlete born without fibulas working to qualify for 2028 Paralympic Games
Lucas Jundt, who was born without fibulas in his legs, has been training at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for more than a year, working toward his dream of making the Paralympic triathlon team.
"Get on the podium, bring home a medal. Represent a country that has given me a second chance," Jundt said. "If I set my mind to something, I do whatever it takes to go achieve it."
Jundt's journey began when he was 7 years old. His parents, Heidi and Peter, adopted him and later two of his friends from the same orphanage in China.
TMJ4 previously spoke to the Jundt family in 2020 and 2022. Back then, Lucas and his trailblazing siblings Emma and Joshua were attending high school in Kenosha and each working hard at adaptive athletics.
Despite being born with a disability, Lucas and his family have never viewed his condition as an obstacle.
"We feel like he was leading the train, and we were just giving him the tools to keep chugging down the track," Heidi said.
To qualify for the triathlon Paralympic team for Los Angeles 2028, Jundt still has significant work ahead. His parents are raising thousands of dollars on GoFundMe to support his global qualifying journey.
Peter Jundt reflected on what it would mean to see his son potentially compete alongside other Paralympic athletes.
"Recognizing all of those other athletes that are there, and that your son is among them, potentially. It's pretty powerful," he said.
Jundt has already achieved considerable success since his high school years. His daily routine consists of swimming, biking and running as he prepares for the demanding triathlon competition.
"Not maybe! It's happening," he said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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