Kelly Bruno Interviewed on CBS News

Kelly Bruno of Team A Step Ahead was interviewed on CBS News regarding her participation in the 2008 US Open as the Open's first amputee ball girl.

Click here to watch the full video.

Kelly Bruno Featured in the New York Times, New York Post 

Team A Step Ahead makes a Big Impact at the Achilles Track Club Hope & Possibility 5 Mile Race

The adult and junior runners of Team A Step Ahead made a big impact at the annual Achilles Track Club Hope & Possibility 5 mile race. The event, held in New York's Central Park on June 22, is a 5 mile race that is open to able-bodied runners and athletes with disabilities. This year, Team A Step Ahead had 19 participants including 7 adult and 8 junior runners entered in a special relay and 5 adults who assisted the junior athletes.     

This year, through the efforts of Amy Palmiero-Winters and Karen Lewis of the Achilles Track club, 8 Junior Team A Step Ahead athletes were given special permission to hold a 5 mile relay within the race. Ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years, the juniors successfully completed the 5 miles around Central Park. Using a custom relay baton designed by A Step Ahead for the relay handoffs, the juniors demonstrated to all the runners and spectators that you can live your life without limitations.

The relay started off with a fast pace by Robert Berger who handed the baton off to Julia Brietenbach, followed by Alexandra Capellini, James Lozano, Cate Hughes, Anthony Desano, Larry Mantilla, and Jake Lillis.

The entire junior and adult Team A Step Ahead runners met Jake so they could all cross the finish line together as a team. Larry Mantilla (18 months old), the youngest member of Junior Team A Step Ahead was so excited at the end of the relay he crossed the finish line 3 more times to a resounding applause.  The juniors were assisted by Corrina Caval, Craig Pratka, Kuni Pinner-Raouf, Tony Carissimo, and Amy Palmerio-Winters.

The following adult runners participated in the full 5 mile race: Lauren Peters -- 50:29, Ben Simmons -- 51:31, Michael Laforgia -- 51:50, Shlomo Nimrodi -52:58, Peter Bremberg -- 58:38, Nick Androlia -- 1:08: 29 and Antoinette Dorazio -- 1:16:27.

Team A Step Ahead Triathletes Capture 4 Medals at the International Triathlon Union World Championships

Hicksville, NY June 11, 2008… On Saturday, June 7, four Team A Step Ahead athletes braved the cool air and cold water in Vancouver, British Columbia to capture four medals at the I.T.U. World Triathlon Championships. Competing against one of the largest fields of physically challenged athletes at a triathlon world championships, Team A Step Ahead once again excelled. The I.T.U. world championships are an Olympic distance triathlon consisting of a 1500 meter swim, 40 kilometer bike ride, and a 10 kilometer run.

In only her second major Olympic distance triathlon, Sandy Dukat took first place in the female above knee divison with a time of 2:57:50.  Only two weeks after breaking the world record in the Ironman triathlon in Brazil and despite two flat tires, Amy Palmiero-Winters took first place in the female below the knee division with a time of 2:25:55.  While working full time and studying to get in to medical school, Kelly Bruno posted one of her fastest times at the Olympic distance with a time of 2:33:48, taking second place in the female below-knee divison.  In the midst of training for Ironman Lake Placid, Tommy Koehler captured 3rd place in one of the most highly competitive male below-knee divisions in a time of 2:18:32. The water and weather conditions were severe enough to force the race organizers to cancel the swim portion for most of the age group competition.

The Team A Step Ahead triathlon team has a busy season ahead of it with more Ironman competitions for Tommy Koehler, Kelly Bruno, and Amy Palmiero-Winters, the New York City Triathlon/National Physically Challenged Championships, a first Olympic distance triathlon for Michael Laforgia, a triathlon in Tel Aviv Israel for Shlomo Nimrodi, and a first time ½ Ironman competition for John Tartaglio.  

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 who 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.

Amy Palmiero-Winters was quoted in Newsday on January 17th, 2008 regarding Oscar Pistorius being banned from competing against able-bodied athletes at the Olympic Games.

Click on the article to the right to view it, or click the link below to be redirected to the article on Newsdays web site.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/ny-lirun0117,0,6294974.story