Oscar “Oz” Sanchez, right, won gold and bronze medals in handcycling at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic games, above. Before a motorcycle accident in 2001 left his legs paralyzed, Sanchez was a special forces member in the Marines. He’s planning to be in Lawrence on June 14 to compete in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas.

Born and raised in the tough neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Oscar “Oz” Sanchez has always been a tough guy.

The Ironman athlete used to make his living pushing his body to the limits as a special forces member in the Marines.

But in 2001 as Sanchez was preparing to encounter his next challenge — becoming a Navy SEAL — a motorcycle accident left his legs paralyzed and ended his military career.

And with his body immobilized in a brace he called a “turtle shell” for the next 10 months, Sanchez struggled with depression and the loss of his physical abilities.

“I was very bottled up. … I was in the bottom of the barrel,” said Sanchez, who had to wait nearly two years before his doctors cleared him to begin light exercise.

Sanchez, who will compete in the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on June 14 at Clinton Lake, is quickly making up for lost time and proving to himself and everyone else he’s still tough.

As a member of Operation Rebound, an organization that assists disabled veterans, Sanchez travels around the globe competing in Ironman and handcycling events.

Because he can’t use his legs, he could choose to compete only in handcycling in the biking portion of the events. But Sanchez opts for the challenge of competing in the swimming portion, as well as using a wheelchair to compete in the running portion. That means it’s all arms for Sanchez for every bit of the 70.3 miles.

Sanchez’s determination to face challenges is nothing new, says his brother, Andy Majera. He can be slowed down, but only for a time. Like the time he fell 70 feet from a helicopter as a Marine.

“He learned how to be tough. … He just keeps going,” Majera said.

The toughness and competitiveness are simply ingrained in his personality,” Majera said. “He lives for the rush. … (It’s a) constant process of proving himself.”

Sanchez, however, is running out of ways to prove himself. He won gold and bronze medals in handcycling at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic games. Nico Marcolongo, program coordinator for Operation Rebound, refers to Sanchez as the “fastest handcycler in the world.”

The challenges of competing and dealing with his injury are much easier to face with the support from his fellow Operation Rebound teammates, Sanchez said. And although the Operation Rebound athletes come from different backgrounds and branches of the military, camaraderie among the athletes is quickly formed.

“You’re brothers in arms,” Sanchez said.

Operation Rebound also provides an opportunity for the athletes to engage in pranks and trash-talking that usually don’t go over well in the general population — like hiding someone’s prosthetic leg under the bed.

“You can tell a lot of guys get good therapy out of that,” said Sanchez of the fun atmosphere that develops when the athletes travel together.

The fun ends at the starting line for Sanchez, though. It’s all business then, Majera said.

“He always finds a way to win,” he said.