
Celebrating the good parts with Paralympic medalist Melissa Stockwell
From Feisty Triathlon by Feisty Triathlon podcast
April 17, 2026 · 58 min
About this episode
Melissa Stockwell shares her inspiring journey from a Baghdad Army hospital to becoming a Paralympic medalist.
This week 3x para-tri world champ, 3x Paralympian, and Guinness world record holder Melissa Stockwell comes on the show to give us all a pep talk — and makes us feel like we could fit more into our days! Melissa has been *busy* since she announced her official retirement, but she also looks back and shares her story with us: How gratitude and optimism got her from waking up in a Baghdad Army hospital to medaling in the Paralympics What the hardest (and easiest) parts are of getting started in para-tri The epic iconic moment when the U.S. swept the podium in the first-ever Paralympic triathlon Why she still found so much joy in 5th place in Tokyo & in Paris And how we all have the power of choice If this episode doesn't get you motivated, just listen again! Hi if you haven't edited the feisty tri episode yet, do you mind adding this to the bottom of the shownotes? Augo is running a survey about why triathletes (and runners and cyclists) choose to work with a coach or not, and what some of your pain points are. This women-led company launched their new platform last month, which sits on top of your data and coaching apps and brings out the important pieces. They're offering a…
People in this episode
Host: Feisty Triathlon podcast
Guest: Melissa Stockwell
Topics covered
- para-triathlon
- motivation
- grief and gratitude
- athletic achievement
- personal story
- coaching
Keywords
- Paralympic
- para-triathlon
- motivation
- athlete story
- coaching
- grief
- gratitude
Sponsors
Augo
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Baghdad, Tokyo, Paris, Duluth, MN
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