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Three-time ParalympianBrad Snyderwon his sixth gold medal on Saturday in the men’s para triathlon, becoming the first U.S. athlete to bring home a gold medal in the men’s triathlon event at the Olympics or Paralympics.
“It’s a big moment, obviously, because you spend so much time visualizing and hoping and preparing for it,” Snyder toldNBC Sportsof his para triathlon victory. “Just like in Rio and just like in London, there’s no way you can possibly imagine how good it’s going to feel – and it was really a good feeling.”
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A war veteran who lost his sight during a tour in Afghanistan, Snyder celebrates his para triathlon victory just as the unfolding chaos in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover resulted in the death of 13 U.S. service members.
Discussing the country’s Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw from the country, Snyder toldCNNthat though U.S. troops couldn’t remain in Afghanistan “forever,” he still feels “prevailing sadness” amid recent events.
“The mistakes of the last 20 years don’t justify future investment in my view,” he said. “We’ve quelled the violence for 20 years and stability has not prevailed … removing yourself is incredibly challenging.”
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Snyder said he has spent years trying to “make sense” of the war in Afghanistan and whether or not it was worth it, hoping to one day use his experience to help military leaders better prepare for future conflicts.
Snyder is now a Ph.D. student at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He hopes to return to the Naval Academy as a professor and in the meantime, continues competing as a para triathlon athlete.
source: people.com
