Charlotte Coffee Shop Owner Headed To Paralympics
2019 was shaping up to be quite a year for Carson Clough. He was getting set to open The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood area. Then, a terrible boating accident on Lake Norman threatened to shatter his world. Little did he know that it was only opening a door to a completely different kind of adventure.
What Happened To Carson Clough?
Right as Clough and a family friend were finalizing the branding and location for the Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters, he was spending the day on Lake Norman. In an instant, he was involved in an incident that took one leg below the knee and threatened to take the other. For A LOT of people, this sort of thing would have proven to be something they could not have overcome. For Carson Clough, a kid who grew up playing every sport under the sun, it was never a question. His “one-legged life” had just begun and he was determined to make the most of it.
A New Adventure For Carson Clough
Carson Clough’s natural instincts as an athlete kicked in and were, in fact necessary, as post-amputation and recovery, he had to learn to stand, walk, and yes, run again. Just two short years after the accident, Clough competed in his first triathlon. Consider the floodgates opened. He tells WSOC, “I’ve been able to get into some national races and qualify for international races. And then this past March, I was able to win the race in Miami. That qualified me for the Paralympics.”
Carson Clough And The Paralympics In Paris
The Paralympics in Paris will take place following the Olympic Games. Carson Clough is the only American para-triathlete who has qualified for that event. It will consist of a half-mile swim, followed by a half-mile bike, and then a 3.1-mile run. Unlike traditional triathlons I’ve seen, this is a sprint event. The Paralympics in Paris are to be contested August 28-September 8.