In March 2026, three-time Paralympic gold medalist Brenna Huckaby will return to the slopes on the global stage, competing at The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. Her long list of accomplishments includes capturing gold in the snowboard cross and banked slalom in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in South Korea, and gold in the banked slalom at the 2022 games in China. Huckaby has been an inspiration to athletes all over the world, discovering her love for Para snowboarding after losing her right leg to cancer at the age of 14.
The Milano Cortina Games will mark Huckaby’s third Paralympic Winter Games appearance, but this one will mean a lot more to her as she continues to use her platform as an advocate for people with disabilities. Huckaby spoke with FanSided about what motivates her, her message to athletes with disabilities, and how her partnership with Nulo pet food has helped her become an amazing cat mom, while fueling her own nutrition journey — all while she continues her reign as one of the best Paralympic athletes in the world.
You've won several medals in your career, but what keeps you going and motivated to be the best?
I think a little bit of it being two-parts. I would say the first one is, I really enjoy being a light for people with disabilities and seeing what their life could be like, especially those that have acquired their disability later in life of knowing like, oh, my life doesn't have to end. I can pivot. I really enjoy being a light for that. I would say the second part is, I also like seeing where my limitations are, and I want to know where they are, and I'm going to keep going until I find them. I haven't found them yet. So, I find a lot of joy in that.
Can you talk about your partnership with NULO and how it ties into your preparation for the upcoming Winter Games?
NULO's campaign is called Fuel Incredible, which I found to just be such a perfect alignment for me right now. With NULO, taking what we've learned as athletes that if we take care of our bodies, then we can do amazing things and apply that to our pets. They're going to feel great. They're going to look great, and they're going to be able to play and live longer and be more active. It was just such a natural fit for me, focusing that on my career at the time.
I’ve had my cat, Mouse, for about a year and a half. I began researching how to be the best cat mom. Nutrition was one thing that kept coming up because the cat that I have, could potentially have health problems if we don't take care of her body appropriately. NULO's food is a solution to a lot of those problems that she could potentially end up having. It has the nutrients that she needs so that she doesn't have the kidney problems later in life.
When you're at like a high level of sport, it's hard to find like growth. I knew that I needed to make changes in my strength training and my nutrition. This past summer was the first summer where I was all in with my nutrition. I wanted to see what happened if I listen to everything my dietician says. I have found that for myself, I have made more gains in the gym, which I didn't know I could find, and then I just feel better. I just I have more energy.
How does Mouse support you, both as an athlete and in your everyday life?
She brings me so much joy all the time. I would say like she's also been a strong reminder of something I've been focusing on in my sport right now is slowing down. This is a big year with a lot happening, a lot of emotions, a lot of pressure. I want to be able to make it to the games and perform my best. Throughout this off-season and fall, and as I move into the winter, finding ways to slow down have really been important for me. That involves having and snuggling my cat on the couch or sitting on the floor, and being intentional with my presence around her has really helped me come back into my body and recharge.
Will Mouse attend the games?
I so desperately wish. No, she'll be at home. She gets too cold and I think she would hate the travel.
What's a typical day of training like for you?
I get up early in the morning. I have a quick gym session to make sure that my body's feeling ready, and then we do the warmup. Then I'm on snow for many hours, depending on what the training is, or if I'm competing. Once I'm off snow, it's back in the gym with like a strength training session, then recovery, which sometimes looks like foam rolling PT, and then I go to bed and then do it all over again. One thing I've noticed is how important nutrition is, it helps me have the energy to be able to perform my best that whole entire time. I'm moving my body all day, so without adequately fueling myself, I'm not going to be able to perform. It also helps with recovery. If I know that I refueled my body, then I'll be able to do it the next day. If I don't adequately fuel, I'll feel it.
What are you looking forward to most coming up in the Winter Games?
I think I'm looking forward to having my family at the event with me. It's been, since 2018, since we've been able to have people there. I'm excited to cross the finish line and ideally hug my entire family. Minus Mouse, sadly.
You have three gold medals in the Winter Paralympics. Is there one that stands out the most to you?
I would say my most recent gold (Banked slalom in the 2022 Winter Paralympics). For me, it signifies a hard fight that I won. Also, just everybody that was behind me to make that win happen. That one is a special one.
Are there any other athletes that you look up to that give you inspiration?
I feel like there are so many different athletes have impacted me in some way or another. In my sport specifically, one of my biggest role models was Bibian Mentel. She passed away from cancer a couple of years ago, but she taught me how to be a strong leader, what it means to be like a voice for women in a male-dominated sport, and how to be a tough competitor. She was fierce, and so I still carry a lot of that with me.
What advice would you give to a young athlete who may be struggling with a physical disability?
I would say take your time and learn your new mobility device because that's your freedom. The second thing is your life looks different than you planned, and I’m sure you didn't plan a disability, but it doesn't mean your life can't be great. You can find your greatness. I hope that I can show you how to do that.
Why We Play features stories about the power of sports to bring us together, overcome obstacles, make positive change and reach everyone. Read more here.
Nulo's 'Fuel Incredible' campaign is designed to highlight the unique bond between athletes and their pets, illustrating that success is not just measured in medals and titles, but in the shared journey of wellness and mutual support.
Through its partnerships with world-class athletes, Nulo is shining a light on the importance of high-quality nutrition – not just for performance, but also for the pets who are with them every step of the way. By sharing these stories, Nulo hopes to inspire pet parents everywhere to fuel their pets’ health and happiness so they can live their most incredible lives together.