Declan Farmer has been defying the limited expectations of others his whole life. Born without the use of his legs, he picked up a sled hockey stick at the age of 9 and has since become one of the most celebrated athletes on the circuit, helping Team USA to win gold medals in five world championships and three Paralympic Games. But despite his tenacity, this Tampa-born hero often comes up against obstacles in his day-to-day life. So, with the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina less than 100 days away, M&F wanted to know more about the highs and lows of his prep.
Born with bilateral fibular hemimelia, a congenital birth defect, meaning that part or all of the fibula is missing or underdeveloped, Farmer had both of his legs amputated as a baby, but he’s never stopped moving forward. “As someone with two leg prosthetics, I actually workout a lot,” he explains, reflecting that he began his gym journey as a kid in school before regularly visiting a local YMCA in Tampa. “I work a lot on training my legs and balance as well, just to help me in life, and walking, and in longevity,” he notes. During his mid-teens, Farmer also began training in a sports performance gym with other elite athletes, and it is these formative fitness experiences that have served to alleviate the types of gym related social anxiety’s that many of us face.
While Farmer says that his workouts aren’t that dissimilar to those of able-bodied athletes, focusing on functional movements first, he does have additional considerations that many gymgoer’s wouldn’t think of. “One of my amputations is above the knee, the other is below the knee,” explains the sled star. “So, I have an inherent asymmetry that I have to deal with.” To address this, Farmer works on his balance and utilizes unilateral movements to force each limb to work independently. “But as far as my sport on the ice, it’s kind of like a catch all where you need cardio, you need strength, you need mobility, you need balance.”
What’s in Declan Farmer’s Gym Bag?
“I would say the biggest adaptation for me in my legs is having the right kind of shoes,” explains Farmer. “Very flat, neutral shoes, close to being barefoot is helpful for walking. I’m always changing into different shoes that have different heel widths and things like that, as it can throw off the walking.”
Of course, disabilities differ among para-athletes and some of Farmer’s teammates get around in a wheelchair, adding further considerations for their training. “They just have to be a bit more thoughtful on not having these super elaborate setups, and having machines or free weights or cables that are kind of too close to each other, and that kind of thing,” explains Farmer. “But I think when you have enough time, everyone kind of finds their routine and gets creative and makes it work for themselves. The whole Paralympic movement is about kind of expanding access for people with disabilities.”
Declan Farmer Hopes to See Ice Sled Hockey Gain a Professional League
While Farmer is an ice sled hockey fanatic, he hopes that all disabled kids can be offered a chance to find the sport that fits them best. But while this inspirational athlete has been winning on the ice, he’s faced obstacles around pay while trying to support his own sporting career. This seems all the more unfair when you consider that Farmer is considered to be one of the greatest hockey players out there, regardless of his disability.
“Pay should be based on the commitment and the value that we bring to the movements,” he explains. “I think for sled hockey specifically, we have gotten a lot of support, it’s grown, but without a kind of professional league, there’s still a lot of room for growth. In the U.S., women’s able-bodied sports have grown a lot in recent years. There’s been a recent league, the professional women’s hockey league coming up in the US. And that’s always been our goal, what we chase as sled hockey players. So, we’re going to kind of follow suit and try to pave the same change for people with disabilities. I think there is room for a professional sled hockey league at some point. There’ are so many great players around the world.”
Declan Farmer is Excited About Traveling to the 2026 Paralympic Games
Currently living near to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado, Declan Farmer will move to northern Italy for the entirety of January and February, for an extended training camp in the 2026 Paralympic Games’ host country. “I think there, we’re going to put the final touches on the last four years of preparation for the games,” he notes. “I think we’re really going to try to focus more on getting better at scoring and just some offensive skills.”
While accessible training venues are sometimes a challenge, the act of traveling from country to country is becoming less burdensome shares Farmer, noting that a firm family connection with Delta Air Lines is playing a huge part in his Paralympic experience. “My mom is actually a Delta flight attendant,” he tells M&F, adding that she will be taking some well-earned time off to fly from the U.S. to Italy for the winter games. As a company, Delta has long been a great ally of para-sports, boasting ‘Team Delta,’ a group of Olympia and Paralympic ambassadors that include Declan Farmer himself, plus other stars like snowboarder Amy Purdy and Track & Field’s Dani Aravich.
As the official airline of Team USA, Delta will manage travel for all the winter games athletes. For disabled athletes, that’s huge win. “With travel, and with a disability, sometimes it can be hard because you need to bring extra bags for different medical equipment and things like that, and Delta’s never charged or extra for that,” shares Farmer. “They’re very good about being accommodating, whether that’s getting to the gate, getting to your seat if you’re in a wheelchair, and things like that.” Right now, however, Farmer is still very much all about the training. “As a team, we’re really good defensively in skating and being creative,” he reflects. “But I think just touching up some skill work is going to be our biggest focus.”
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