
Rep. Amy Kuhn, left, and Paralympian Clara Brown in the Maine House Chambers on Jan. 21. Contributed / Maine State
On Jan. 21, Falmouth native and Cumberland resident Clara Brown was honored at the Maine State House for bringing the bronze back from Paris to Maine. Brown took the podium in the C1-3 road race cycling event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The legislative sentiment was sponsored by Rep. Amy Kuhn, D-Falmouth, and cosponsored by Sen. Teresa S. Pierce, D-Falmouth.
“It’s hard to put in words, because having grown up here and then making the conscious decision to return and build roots as an adult here, I have always been such a proud Mainer, and to be recognized with such a distinct honor was indescribable,” said Brown.
“Especially with the personal connection with Amy Kuhn and Teresa Pierce, having known them as classmates’ parents, it was so special,” she said.
Brown grew up in Falmouth, participating in a variety of sports until she sustained an incomplete spinal cord injury in 2008 during an accident in gymnastics when she was in seventh grade. Her neck fracture left her with partial paralysis. After years of physical therapy and surgeries for compounding ailments, she entered the athletic world again, first as a coxswain for rowing in high school and college, and then through cycling.
Ten years after her injury, while working for a bike touring company Brown had a chance encounter with a U.S. Paralympics Advisory Committee member. She was invited to a talent identification camp in Colorado and soon joined Team USA’s para-cycling team.
She competed in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and wanted to return with a stronger performance and better social experience in Paris. The Tokyo games had no spectators – meaning her family could not attend and cheer her on – because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether in person or remotely, family, friends and Mainers cheered her on to victory in Paris. Her bronze medal is now safely stored in her home in Cumberland, where she lives with her partner and coach Noah Middlestaedt.
In a press release, Kuhn said “Having known (Brown) for many years, it was such an honor to watch her compete and bring home the bronze medal this past summer at the Paris Paralympics. Her strength, tenacity and joy serve as an inspiration, not only to those in her hometown of Falmouth, but to all Mainers.”

From left, Clara Brown’s father Greg, her mother Debbie, her partner Noah Middlestaedt, Clara Brown and Sen. Teresa Pierce in the Senate Chamber. Contributed / Maine State House
Now in Maine’s icy winter, Brown is training less due to poor road conditions more than anything else. She is considering whether to train to compete in the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028 and how that would fit into other goals of motherhood and completing flight school.
“I am very excited by the fact that I could end my career with home games, but I also want to start a family and move on with this next chapter of flying. And I don’t know how those all fit together, so we’ll see,” she said.
Brown’s father is a pilot, and she has always been captivated by flying, she said. At the end of 2023 Brown started pursuing being a pilot as a career. After proving she was safe and able to fly with her disability, she has been taking courses and putting in the hours since at a flight school in Sanford. Like being an accomplished athlete, becoming a pilot takes dedication and confidence.
“Once you’re actually in the plane, or once you’re actually competing, it’s a totally different animal. And having the confidence in yourself to realize that you’ll get to the point of competency, if not expert level, is certainly a parallel,” said Brown.
“And there is a similar feeling bodily that I feel, just like the thrill and the excitement of competing and getting to fly. It’s such a cool thing that I get to do both,” she said.
Whether on the racecourse or increasingly in the skies, Brown continues to impress.
“Clara’s impressive record of success has made Falmouth and the entire state of Maine very proud,” said Pierce in a press release.
“As an elite athlete on the grand stage, her dedication and resilience powered her to finish atop the best Paralympians in the world. It was my pleasure to honor her success, alongside her family, with my colleagues in the Senate,” she said.
Brown’s legislative sentiment recognized her accomplishment and was approved by the full Legislature and signed by the president of the Senate, speaker of the House, secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House.
“This was such a big effort from everybody who supported me. I feel like I’ve had this long journey from injury to athlete, and I’m so encouraged by all the people who stood behind me and cheered me on,” said Brown.
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