“The ice is a great equalizer on any given day. It can be anyone’s first place or anyone’s last place, but it’s how much you put out there and how you feel about yourself that matters at the end of the day. And I just want Beth to feel good about her performance.”
Special Olympics USA figure skating coach Heidi Parker was introduced to Beth Allen nearly a decade ago. As a young Special Olympics Alabama figure skater, Beth was learning the foundational elements of the sport. Far from the jumps and one-foot glides, she kept practicing. In time, her balance, her confidence progressed. The moves that once seemed daunting became routine. Though she could skate well, Beth struggled with aspects of her physical health that would need to be addressed. Upon her selection to represent Special Olympics USA at the 2025 Special Olympics Winter World Games in Turin, Italy, she understood that her health could be a limitation.
A year ago, Beth would skate off the ice, complaining of numbness in her hands and feet, caused by peripheral neuropathy. The solution involved making significant lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and healthy nutrition. Wanting to reach her fullest potential, Beth started working with a personal trainer, who customized each workout to her individual needs.
“When she first started, it was clear we had some work to do,” remembered Bobbie Lyn Santiago, Beth’s trainer. “She struggled with mobility - her ankles and hips were tight; her hamstrings weren’t doing her any favors and balance on one foot was difficult. Strength-wise, even lifting 2 to 3 pounds felt like a challenge, and getting through a single set of exercises was a challenge.”
People with intellectual disabilities face significant challenges in accessing quality health care and opportunities that promote fitness and wellness. Physical activity, adequate nutrition and hydration enhance athletes’ sports performance and improve health and overall quality of life. Special Olympics athletes train for competition, but they are also training for healthier, longer lives. The physical improvements Beth has made in the gym, on the ice, has changed the trajectory of her life.
“Beth could not do squats because her muscles were so tight,” explained her mother, Shannon Allen. “Now, she can do walking squats across the entire gym.”
“Fast forward to now, and the progress she’s made is nothing short of incredible,” said Bobbie. “She’s lifting 7.5 pounds for shoulder presses, carrying two 8-kilogram kettlebells like a pro, and pushing a 90-pound sled for 20 feet. Not only that, but she can jump on one foot and power through two to three sets of exercises with confidence. With the right cues and some focused coaching, she’s proven that she can handle just about anything I throw at her, and she does it all without a single complaint. It’s been amazing to watch her transformation.”
To share that transformation with others, Beth recently launched her own YouTube Channel. In her video tutorials, she said, “I’m doing my own exercises.” Her content shows the experience of her workouts and her training, incorporating routines and weights. “It hurts,” added Beth. She’s sore, but she is also leaner, more flexible and agile. And to celebrate those strides, she completed her first race, just a few short weeks before her departure for Winter World Games. In the Heart & Soul 5K Race & Fun Run benefitting her local Special Olympics Program, Beth completed the one-mile run in 16 minutes and 58 seconds, placing first for the female division.
“She’s put in the work,” said Heidi. “Because of that, she has broken down some barriers. At the gym, people see special needs adults differently. But we know that there’s no limit for them, and now others see that too.”
Beth has proven that the limit does not exist, that statistics of disparities are not concrete definitions. At the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, she will face that great equalizer – the ice. Among athletes of all nationalities, of all backgrounds, it’s their commitment to the sport that sets them apart. Workout after workout, Beth has trained to rise above.