Press Release                                                           Contact Phil Kreuter 516-681-3484

Athlete with Disability Setting a Precedent Against Able–Bodied Peers

Hicksville, N.Y. May 30, 2007 For the first time an athlete with a disability will be competing at a major triathlon competition in the elite able bodied division. Based on her performance in the 2006 NYC triathlon, as well as other triathlon results in 2006, Amy Palmiero-Winters, a member of Team A Step Ahead will be competing in the elite amateur women's division of the 2007 Nautica New York City Triathlon.

In order to qualify for this elite division, a female triathelte must have completed a USAT Olympic distance triathlon under 2:35 in the past 24 months. Ms. Palmiero-Winters completed the 2006 New York city triathlon in 2:25:24, placing 2nd out of 13 athletes with below the knee amputations, nine of which were male. In comparing Ms. Palmiero-Winters time to all able bodied triathletes in her age category (30-34) she would have placed 4th in this category against 220 other athletes. In addition to Ms. Palmiero- Winters Team A Step Ahead will be represented by Marcos Corti, Kelly Bruno, Sandy Dukat, Tommy Koehler, Brian O’Sullivan, Paul Martin and Sarah Reinersten, including four finishers of the Ironman Triathlon.

The Nautica New York City Triathlon is one of the premier Olympic distance triathlons in the United States with over 4500 participants registered, including internationally ranked professional triathletes. More then 50 athletes with physical disabilities will be competing in the physically challenged division.

Ms. Palmiero-Winters is the current world record holder in both Olympic distance triathlon (2:25) and marathon (3:04) for female below knee amputees.  For the past two years, she has won the International Triathlon Union World Championships in Switzerland, and was named United States Triathlon Physically Challenged Female Athlete of the Year for 2006.  She competes proudly as a member of Team A Step Ahead, a team of more than 75 athletes with disabilities. She was featured in the May issue of Runners World. Amy can be found online at http://www.seeamyrun.com/

Team A Step Ahead is a team of amputee athletes from around the world who compete in events including the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, multiple marathons, road races around the world and the Paralympic Games. Team A Step Ahead's members have been very competitive against able-bodied athletes, placing and wining age group awards. These elite athletes hold or have held world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m, track and field events, marathons and triathlons. Athletes receive training from coaches, prosthetists and physical therapists that are experts in working with amputee athletes, including world record holding Paralympians. The company's motto is "Live Life Without Limitations”. For additional information on Team A Step Ahead, click HERE.