Andrew Kurka is an Alaskan personality who is a Paralympic alpine skier, competes in the slalom, giant slalom, super G, downhill and super combined events. Despite this, he remained a six-time Alaskan champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling before making his final career on the US Paralympic National Team in 2010. He has developed his character as a world champion and champion para-alpine skier who also qualified for the US Paralympic team in 2014. In March 2018, Andrew won the downhill at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea, making his first series for the competition.
Early life
Andrew Kurka was born in Anchorage on January 27, 1992 and in 2022 he will be 30 years old and making his long journey of transformation from wrestler to skier. Kuka grew up in a small Alaskan village called Nikolaevsk, where people generally speak the Russian language. In the summers, he spent his free time with family while touring through places like Palmer, Alaska, while in the winters, he often spent his time at a house in Aspen, Colorado.
It was at the age of 13 when Kurka had an ATV accident. The accident severely damaged the three vertebrae in the center of his spinal cord. He was about to start a wrestling career but left all his ambitions behind and tried his hand at monoskiing for the first time at the age of 15. He was greatly encouraged by his physiotherapist to overcome the challenges of the injury and perform at the events. With his achievements and hard work, Kurka became the first monoskier to ski the north face of Mt. Alyeska in Girdwood, Alaska.
Andrew Kurka’s career
Andrew Kurka Skiing career
Andrew Kurka has never come to terms with his injury, although he began working for his career two years after his accident when he first decided to pursue a career in skiing and at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympics, Canada, debuted. He later made his international debut with the Paralympic Winters, earning a palace on the US Paralympic team in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. However, he fell in training before traveling to the Sochi games and injured his back. In early 2018, he rejoined the United States Paralympic Team for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Andrew Kurka Music Career
During the summers, when skiing and Winter Games are off, Kurka DJs country music at Country Legend 100.9 in Wasilla, Alaska. He was also recognized as an Athlete Mentor by Classroom Champions in 2017. Classroom Champion is one of the non-profit organizations that has formed partnerships with Paralympic and Olympic athletes, including various teachers and students.
Andrew Kurka Achievements
At the age of 15 in 2017, Kurka won 13 medals in various international competitions, including three medals (one was gold, the second was silver and the third was bronze) for the World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy. After two years at the age of 17, Kurka competed as a bodybuilder in a wheelchair and was the first to do so at the Crystal Cup in Anchorage, Alaska. Kurka’s story was noticed and appreciated by one of the organizations called Alaska Children’s Miracle Network. They recruited him as their “prodigy”. As a result, he became an Ambassador for CMN Hospitals Alaska Champion and this prompted him to travel the world carrying the stories of various children who have sustained their uncertain journey into the future.
Andrew Kurka’s biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Andrew Earl Kurka |
| date of birth | January 27, 1992 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 30 years |
| place of birth | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
| nationality | American |
| job | Paralympic alpine skier |
| religion | Christianity |
| sun sign | Aquarius |
Physical Statistics | |
| height | in feet inches – 5′ 9” – in centimeters – 175 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 68kg – in pounds – 150 pounds |
| shoe size | 9 (USA) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| eye color | Brown |
| body type | Sporty |
Andrew Kurka Family | |
| father | – |
| mother | – |
| sister | – |
| Brothers | – |
Qualification/Education | |
| school | – |
| University | – |
Relationship status | |
| marital status | Married |
| affair | no |
| Who is Andrew Kurka’s wife? | Veronica Quezada |
Andrew Kurka Personal life
The winner of 13 medals and gold medalist in alpine skiing, Andrew Kurka is engaged to his longtime girlfriend named Verónica Quezada. The couple participated in the ring offering rituals in October 2021. The couple later posted a picture together while smiling and posing for social media, where Kuka shared a love message in a heart-shaped bottle with a ring on his girlfriend’s finger. Kurka proposed to his girlfriend on the beach while they were both snorkeling in Punta Mita, Mexico.
Kurka, who was 29 at the time, had much to celebrate when he was named to the US Paralympic team for the 11th straight season. The couple legally signed their marriage in December 2021. It seems that they will be married soon, although they have been closed for a month, namely July 2022. Andrew’s girlfriend Verónica Quezada is also an athlete who is rarely of her kind. She has a degree in microbiology and by profession represents the Black Lioness in the handball You can find her on Instagram under her verified name @bergonic.
Andrew Kurka Net Worth
Andrew Kurka’s estimated net worth is almost $1-2 million. The main source of income is his Paralympic career and summer DJ work, which he has maintained since he was 15 years old. He has a verified name on social media like Facebook and Instagram where he often posts pictures with his girlfriend and skiing competitions shows his love for both of them.