In cycling, Kavanagh golden

Paracyclist Sam Kavanagh is finding his form.

The Coram native took gold in the Paralympic Road National Cycling Championships in Bend, Ore., in two events last week and will soon be off to Quebec for the World Championships.

Kavanagh, 31, won the 55-kilometer road race and also won the 20K criterium. Kavanagh was also third in the time trials.

In 2008, Kavanagh won his first national championship.

"It was nice to find my form again and get back on the podium," he said Monday.

Kavanagh grew up in Coram and graduated from Columbia Falls.

He suffered a compound fracture of his lower left leg in January 2005 in an avalanche while skiing in the Centennial Mountains. The avalanche also killed one of his best friends, Blake Morstad.

Kavanagh had to have his lower leg amputated and went through a host of surgeries afterwards.

But shortly thereafter Kavanagh began training for the paralympics.

Today, he said he's been training 20 to 25 hours a week and is down to 160 pounds.

"I haven't weighed that since I was a sophomore in high school," he said.

He's employed by the Hartford Insurance Co. and does motivational talks about his life experiences. He's been featured on espn.com as well as in a documentary film.

So far this year Kavanagh estimates he's cycled about 5,500 miles. The goal, he said, is to make the 2012 Paralympics. He just missed the cut for the 2008 games.

In addition to winning at the national competition, he's already won races in France and Spain this year.

"I've had a really good season," he said.

Kavanagh lives in Bozeman with his wife Sara (Rogers' who is also a native of Columbia Falls. His daughter, Amelia, turned 1 the day Kavanagh won the road race in Bend.