This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER — A University of Denver student is taking on the odds in life and on the slopes.

Jamie Stanton is making his mark around the globe as one of the best skiers out there and will soon go for a spot in the 2018 Paralympic competition in Korea.

Stanton has been skiing since he was three years old.  Today at age 20, the DU sophomore is taking on some of the toughest competitions a skier can face, and he’s doing it without the lower half of his right leg.

“It is absolutely a blessing to be able to ski the way I do with my disability,” Stanton said.

The gifted skier was born with a condition that prevented his leg from growing properly.  He had to have a portion amputated when he was six months old. That didn’t stop Stanton from taking on hockey, golf and basketball. He used a special prosthetic.

“I was walking, then started running, then started skiing and nothing ever held me back,” he said.  Since joining the U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing National Team Stanton has claimed three gold medals and is ranked as the number one men’s standing skier in the nation.

Stanton placed three times during the Paralympics World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and also made a successful showing at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.

Stanton received training from the National Sports Center for the Disabled.   President and CEO Diane Eustace said, “He’s just a great athlete to have on our team. He inspires the younger athletes as well as the seasoned athletes.”

Stanton says he values his position as a role model and explains, “I had a tough time growing up and I’ve made the most of it, I don’t see how anyone else can’t do the same.”  Stanton will compete in the 40th Annual Wells Fargo Ski Cup World Disabled Cup Invitational in Winter Park February 20-22.