Dan Cnossen

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Para Nordic Skiing (Biathlon and Cross-Country) - Sitting Classification
• Graduated from Shawnee Heights High School in 1998; U.S. Naval Academy in 2002; holds master's degrees in public administration and theological studies from Harvard University
• Former U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander who served in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Decorated with Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor
• Volunteer mentor with One Summit and Classroom Champions; enjoys running, reading, surfing and traveling

Biographical Information

Dan Cnossen has established himself as a dominant force in both para biathlon and para cross-country skiing in the sitting classification since making his Paralympic debut at the Paralympic Winter Games Sochi 2014. Cnossen's athletic achievements include historic firsts and breakthrough performances that have elevated American para Nordic skiing to new heights on the world stage.

Cnossen's path to Paralympic excellence began with a life-altering incident during military service. In September 2009, while serving as platoon commander for SEAL Team One in Afghanistan, he stepped on an improvised explosive device during a nighttime operation in the mountains. The explosion caused him to lose both legs above the knee. Cnossen endured more than 40 surgeries during a two-year recovery period at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he learned to walk with prosthetics.

Growing up on a fifth-generation family farm in Kansas, Cnossen developed an early appreciation for the outdoors and physical activity. After graduating from Shawnee Heights High School in 1998, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he competed on the triathlon team. He graduated in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in English and was one of only 16 members of his class selected for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training as an officer. Cnossen successfully completed the grueling BUD/S training in fall 2003 and served multiple combat deployments to the Philippines, Iraq, and Afghanistan, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander and becoming officer-in-charge of an 18-man SEAL platoon.

During rehabilitation in 2010, a U.S. Paralympics representative at Walter Reed introduced Cnossen to adaptive sports. He attended a cross-country skiing training camp in West Yellowstone, Montana, in late 2010 and immediately connected with the sport's emphasis on nature and endurance. Cross-country skiing offered Cnossen a way to return to the outdoors and cover ground in the woods, activities he had loved before his injury. He began training for Paralympic competition in 2011 and steadily progressed through the ranks of international para Nordic skiing. Cnossen returned to academia in 2015, earning a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and a master's degree in theological studies from Harvard Divinity School. 

At the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Cnossen delivered a once-in-a-lifetime performance that earned him recognition as the Best Male Athlete of the Games. He captured one gold medal, four silver medals, and one bronze medal over eight days of competition. His victory in the 7.5-kilometer biathlon made him the first American male Nordic skier to win Paralympic gold and only the second American overall to claim gold in biathlon at either the Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games. Cnossen continued his Paralympic success at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, winning gold in the historic first-ever mixed 4x2.5-kilometer relay alongside teammates Oksana Masters, Sydney Peterson, and Jake Adicoff with guide Sam Wood. 

Cnossen has captured multiple U.S. national titles across biathlon and cross-country events in the sitting classification. His training methods have evolved to include cross-training activities such as handcycling, prone paddleboarding, running, and surfing to maintain peak fitness during the off-season months.

Beyond competition, Cnossen dedicates significant time to mentorship and community service. He volunteers with One Summit, a nonprofit organization that connects military veterans with children battling cancer through outdoor climbing activities. Cnossen has served as a mentor at multiple Climbs for Courage events, teaching rock Climbing skills and life lessons to young cancer patients. He also volunteers with Classroom Champions, mentoring elementary school students and teaching life skills through virtual and in-person interactions. His public speaking engagements focus on resilience, leadership, and overcoming adversity, sharing lessons learned from SEAL training, combat deployments and Paralympic competition.

Cnossen maintains a strong connection to his Kansas roots and the values instilled during his upbringing on the family farm. He credits his foundation in hard work, focus and appreciation for the outdoors as essential elements in both his military and athletic success.

Paralympic Experience

• 4-time Paralympian; 7-time Paralympic medalist (2 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze)
• Paralympic Games Milan 2026, 11th (10km - Sitting - Men), 15th (1km Sprint - Sitting - Men), 17th (20km - Sitting - Men)
• Paralympic Games Beijing 2022, gold (4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed), 4th (6km Sprint - Sitting - Men), 6th (18km - Sitting - Men), 7th (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Men), 12th (10km Middle - Sitting - Men), 13th (1km Sprint - Sitting - Men)
• Paralympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, gold (7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Men), silver (12.5km Middle - Sitting - Men, 15km - Sitting - Men, 15km Individual - Sitting - Men, 7.5km - Sitting - Men), bronze (1km Sprint - Sitting - Men)
• Paralympic Games Sochi 2014, 6th (1km Sprint - Sitting - Men), 10th (10km - Sitting - Men, 15km Individual - Sitting - Men), 11th (12.5km Middle - Sitting - Men), 13th (15km - Sitting - Men), 14th (7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Men)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2025 – silver (4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed), 7th (Sprint Classic Style - Sitting - Men), 10th (20km Freestyle - Sitting - Men)
• Years of participation: 20km Freestyle - Sitting - Men 2025; 4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed 2025; Sprint Classic Style - Sitting - Men 2025; 10km Freestyle - Sitting - Men 2023; 4 x 2.5km Relay Open - Open 2022, 2023; Sprint Freestyle - Sitting - Men 2023; 10km - Sitting - Men 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022; 10km Middle - Sitting - Men 2022; 12.5km Individual - Sitting - Men 2011, 2022; 1km Sprint - Sitting - Men 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022; 6km Sprint - Sitting - Men 2022; 12.5km Middle - Sitting - Men 2013, 2015, 2019; 15km - Sitting - Men 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019; 15km Individual - Sitting - Men 2013, 2015, 2019; 7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Men 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019; H5 - Road Race - Men 2014, 2015; H5 - Time Trial - Men 2014, 2015; Team Relay - Open 2014; 2.4km Pursuit - Sitting - Men 2011
• Medals: 4 (4 silver)
• Silver – 2025 (4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed); 2019 (10km - Sitting - Men, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Men); 2014 (Team Relay - Open)