U.S. Olympic Athletes

Barbara Buchan

  • Home:  Mountain Home, Idaho

Entering her fifth Paralympic Games, Barbara Buchan had a single goal in mind:  to win her first-ever gold medal. By the end of the Games, Buchan had doubled up. In thrilling fashion, Buchan won gold medals in the individual time trial (LC3/LC4/CP3) and the individual pursuit (LC3-4/CP3).  At the 2009 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Buchan earned the gold medal in the individual pursuit (CP3) while earning the bronze medal in the time trial (CP3). During the Road World Championships of that same year, Buchan took home the gold medal in the individual time trial (CP3). At the 2010 Road World Championships, Buchan earned herself the bronze medal in both the individual time trial (C2) as well as the individual road race (C2).  

Originally, Buchan competed in track and field but switched over to cycling following the 1992 Games in Barcelona. She is also currently the director for Team USabled, a non-profit organization for disabled children.

 

Buchan was the 1972 state champion in the mile while she was a student at Mountain Home High School in Mountain Home, Idaho. She competed in cross country and track and field there for three years and graduated in 1974.  Buchan received her bachelor’s degree in athletic training/teaching from Boise State University in 1978. For four years, she participated in the Regional Finals in track and field at Boise State.

When she’s not training on the road or track, Buchan enjoys doing ceramics and other art projects.

Major Achievements

  • 2011: Fourth place, Individual Time Trial & Individual Pursuit (C2) – UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Montichiari, Italy
  • 2010: Bronze medal, Individual Time Trial (C2); bronze medal, Individual Road Race (C2) – UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, Quebec, Canada
  • 2009: Gold medal, Individual Time Trial (CP3); fifth place, Individual Road Race (CP3) – UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, Bogogono, Italy
  • 2009: Gold medal, Individual Pursuit (CP3); bronze medal, Time Trial (CP3) – UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Manchester, England
  • 2008: Gold medal, Individual Time Trial LC 3/LC 4/CP 3; gold medal, Individual Pursuit LC 3-4/CP 3 – Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
  • 2007: Silver medal, Road Time Trial – IPC Cycling World Championships, Bordeaux, France
  • 2006: Silver medal, Road Time Trial – IPC Cycling World Championships, Aigle, Switzerland
  • 2000: U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team Member, Sydney, Australia
  • 1992: U.S. Paralympic Track and Field Team Member, Barcelona, Spain
  • 1988: Silver medal, Track and Field, 800m – Paralympic Games, Seoul, Korea