Every morning, Ashley Dyce wakes up with the same goal: competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
That focus drives everything she does, from training sessions and recovery routines to international competitions. It is also what will take her to Mexico City this October as one of 10 athletes representing USA at the Mexico 2026 Parapan American Open Championships, one of this year’s four Regional Open Championships that are part of the LA28 Qualification Pathway.
As she pursues a second Paralympic appearance, the USA Para powerlifter recently reflected on her journey, challenges and ambitions during an interview on Journey to LA, a series hosted by the YouTube channel Take the Doughnut with Melissa Forziat.
The full interview with Ashley Dyce can be viewed here.
From throws to powerlifting
Before becoming one of the USA’s leading Para powerlifters, Dyce represented her country in Para athletics. Competing internationally for three seasons in the F56 class, she took part in shot put, discus and javelin before being introduced to a different sport.
“I started in 2016, exactly 10 years ago. I was doing track and field before, and I kind of got recruited by the powerlifting team. I went to a camp and it was one of those moments where it just felt like the right thing. So I’ve been with the team since 2016 and competed all over the world. It’s been a fun ride,” she said.
That “fun ride” has included appearances at two Parapan American Championships, four World Championships and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where she finished eighth in the women’s over 86kg category.
Her first major international powerlifting competition was also in Mexico City, at the 2017 World Championships. Nearly a decade later, she returns to the Mexican capital with another important objective: taking a step closer to LA28.
Like every elite athlete, Dyce’s path has included both triumphs and setbacks. Those experiences have shaped the advice she now shares with younger athletes hoping to follow a similar road.
“I always say that if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. There’s gonna be good days and bad days. You’re going to have good practices, bad practices. You’re going to have good lifts and bad lifts, days when you want to train and days when you don’t,” she said.
“The motivation is not always there, the crowd is not always there, the people supporting you are not always there. But it’s always up to you to be consistent and keep chasing that goal. As long as you stick with it and keep going, you’re going to reach all your dreams and goals.”
Consistency remains the foundation of her own career and the mindset that continues to fuel her pursuit of Paralympic success.
Chasing a home Paralympic dream
For Dyce, LA28 carries special significance.
Born in Colton, California, just east of Los Angeles, the prospect of competing at a Paralympic Games on home soil adds extra motivation. Qualification has yet to be secured, making every competition on the pathway increasingly important.
Mexico City will provide another opportunity to move closer to that dream.
Dyce is one of two athletes on the USA squad for the Mexico 2026 Parapan American Open Championships with previous Paralympic experience, alongside Bobby Body. Both represented Team USA at Paris 2024 and are now aiming to return to the Paralympic stage in 2028.
“Consistency, sacrifice and focus have been the biggest things for me. It’s really about waking up with the same goal in mind. What am I doing today that’s getting me closer to LA?” she said.
“Does that mean training? Does that mean recovery? Does that mean travelling to an event and speaking about the sport? It depends on the day, but every day is focused on the goal.”
One of Dyce’s career highlights came at the 2022 Americas Open Championships in St Louis, where she claimed bronze in the women’s over 86kg, her best international result to date.
As she works towards another milestone, she credits a close support network for helping her stay on course.
“There is a small group of people over the last few years, that [helped me] build a solid foundation of what I call a team,” she said.
“My trainer, my sport psychiatrist, my nutritionist, my parents and a solid group of friends know what my goal is and keep me accountable to it. I’m always thankful to those people who keep me going, even on the days when I don’t want to go.”
With LA28 firmly in her sights and qualification underway, every training session, competition and recovery day serves a purpose. And as Dyce prepares to return to Mexico City, the same goal that greets her each morning remains unchanged: earning the chance to compete in front of a home crowd at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
The Mexico 2026 Parapan American Open Championships will take place from 4 to 8 October. Follow all the action on World Para Powerlifting’s social media channels.
