Charlotte native to compete in 2024 Paralympic Games: 'A very new challenge'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Five years after losing his leg, a North Carolina man is set to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games, a series of international multisport events for athletes with disabilities.

30-year-old Carson Clough lost part of his leg in a boating accident in 2019. He had to learn how to stand, walk, and run again.

Two years later, the Charlotte native competed in his first-ever triathlon.

Since then, Carson has participated in national and international races and eventually qualified for the Paralympics.

"I'll swim, bike, and run. So the whole triathlon, and it's a sprint distance, so it's about a half-mile swim, a half-mile bike, and then a 3.1-mile run," he told ABC11 affiliate WSOC.

Carson said he spends 25 to 30 hours a week physically training to prepare for the games.

"Just a new challenge. And it is every day ... A very new challenge," he said.

Carson is the only American para-triathlete that qualified. He will be competing in the Paris Paralympics in September.