Arizona woman heads to Brazil for 2022 Deaflympics

FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.

PHOENIX - An Arizona woman is competing for a gold medal later the month at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil after pivoting from triathlons to golf.

Beckie Perkins is deaf, but she doesn't let that hold her back for a second.

"When she hits the ball, she can’t really hear the beautiful sound of its anchor shot," Perkins said, with her husband translating. "She has to figure out the quality of the shot by feel and not sound."

Perkins picked up the sport 10 years ago after competing for years in Iron Man. For her, golf is more challenging.

Despite the challenge, she’s succeeded, playing against the best in the world.

Later this month she’ll travel to Brazil to compete for US Women’s Golf at the Deaflympics.

She says she’s looking forward to meeting fellow deaf athletes across the world and sharing the sport they all love.

"You get to be outside, enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery," Perkins said. "It’s never the same thing. Good shots, sometimes not good shots."

She's learned a lot in the past decade of playing the sport, but this might be the most important:

"If you want it bad enough, go after it," she said. "You have to go for it if you have the passion for it."

Help Beckie fundraise for her Brazil trip: https://www.gofundme.com/f/deaflympics-2022-brazil