2009 ITU paratriathlon world champion Sarah Reinertsen from the USA became one of the latest cover stars of ESPN Magazine as she bared all alongside Serena Williams in the first ever ‘Body Issue’ edition. Reinertsen won the TRI 2 category on Australia’s Gold Coast and is also holds the world record for the marathon for above-knee amputee women. As one of 80 chosen athletes to be featured in the magazine she also was one of the six to be chosen as a cover star.

Sarah Reinertsen was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a congenital defect that left her without enough tissue to stimulate growth in her left leg. As a child, she was repeatedly fitted for leg braces until the age of seven, when her doctors decided it would be best to amputate her leg. Her book, ‘In A Single Bound’ the story of how a feisty little girl from Long Island became one of the world’s most famous disabled sports figures.

With the magazine gracing shelves across the USA, Reinertsen expressed her emotions on the evocative and ground-breaking cover. “It feels like the next step forward for me,” she said. “After emotionally exposing myself in the book, now I can let the world see my body as well. I’ve struggled with body image issues my entire life. Now, to be included in the ranks of great athletes like Serena Williams, Dwight Howard and Adrian Peterson… I’m thrilled.”

Check out Sarah’s website for more information on this amazing athlete, or read the ITU In Profile feature we ran back in September.