. ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Bas cio ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Mass ape qua , ▁New ▁York . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Bas cio ▁had ▁an ▁accident ▁while ▁ski ing ▁which ▁caused ▁her ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁par ap leg ic . ▁She ▁moved ▁to ▁California ▁after ▁her ▁accident ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁degree ▁from ▁San ▁Jose ▁State ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁At ▁the ▁IP C ▁World ▁Hand cycle ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁she ▁won ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁for ▁cy cling ▁in ▁the ▁individual ▁time ▁trial ▁and ▁a ▁silver ▁for ▁the ▁road ▁race . ▁ ▁After ▁five ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁U . S . ▁hand cy cling ▁team , ▁she ▁took ▁up ▁Nord ic ▁ski ing ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁began ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁cup ▁circuit ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Bas cio ▁competed ▁at ▁the ▁Par al ym pic ▁Winter ▁Games ▁Tor ino ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁where ▁she ▁finished ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 - kil ometer ▁cross - country ▁race ▁and ▁fourth ▁in ▁the ▁s print ▁bi ath lon ▁race . ▁Bas cio ▁placed ▁second ▁overall ▁in ▁the ▁IP C ▁Nord ic ▁Ski ing ▁World ▁Cup ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁after ▁winning ▁the ▁bronze ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 k ▁Par al ym pic ▁Test ▁Event ▁at ▁Wh ist ler ▁Olympic ▁Park . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Bas cio ▁won ▁the ▁overall ▁title ▁for ▁the