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More than winning medals goal of Canadian Paralympic team going to Beijing |
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Written by Jim Morris, THE CANADIAN PRESS
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Tuesday, 08 July 2008 |
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VANCOUVER - When aspiring biathlete Shauna Whyte broke her back in a horseback riding accident 16 years ago she thought her life dreams were as shattered as her spinal cord.
Her chance at competing at an Olympics was gone. Her hopes of raising a family finished.
"Sometimes the impossible is possible," Whyte said with a smile Tuesday as she bounced her nine-month-old daughter Gabriella on her lap after being named to the team that will represent Canada at this summer's Paralympics in Beijing.
For athletes like Whyte, there's a lot more to competing at the Paralympics than bringing home a medal. To many of the 143 people named to the team raising awareness of disabled sports and improving the life of people with disabilities is the true victory.
"Life is a lot bigger than the podium," said Whyte, who will compete as a hand cyclist. "It is also about inspiring other people. Excellence isn't just about the podium. It's about our everydayness.
"The more people with a disability are getting out in the world and travelling . . . it's opening the eyes of other people that we do have to design things that are more wheelchair accessible or more accessible to people with visibility impairments. It's all about making the world a better place."
As much as Richard Peter would like to win a third consecutive gold medal in wheelchair basketball at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympics, he thinks the bigger prize will be the increased facilities and opportunities for disabled people in China.
"Awareness is the big thing," said Peter. "With them getting the Paralympic Games that brought knowledge that they can start a lot more sport programs for all their athletes.
"They have a huge population and a they have a lot of disabled. That opened a lot of doors for their disabled to get out and start a lot of basketball, rugby, a lot of different programs. It's great for a lot of their athletes."
Canadian athletes will compete in 17 sports at the Paralympics. The athletes will be accompanied by about 120 coaches, medical staff and support team members.
Canada's goal is to finish in the top five countries for medals won.
Carla Qualtrough, president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, said Canada finished among the top three countries at the last two Paralympics in Sydney and Athens. But with more countries competing, winning medals has become harder.
"For us to put out there a top-five finish sounds like we are selling ourselves short or we are expecting less out of our athletes," said Qualtrough, a lawyer who is legally blind and has competed at past Paralympics. "We are certainly not.
"There are more countries, more governments investing in Paralympic sports in a way they never used to. We know the world is catching up."
About 4,000 athletes from 145 countries are expected to participate in the Beijing Paralympic Games. That's an increase from 125 countries at Sydney in 2000 and 136 in Athens four years ago.
The searing heat and thick blanket of pollution that sometimes covers Beijing are concerns for the athletes at the Summer Olympics.
Peter said the basketball team breathed the thick air during a test event earlier this year in Beijing.
"A few guys were affected a little bit by the air quality, but as a team we did all right," said the Vancouver resident. "That was good motivation for us.
"We came home and said we have to train that much harder so it doesn't affect us through the tournament."
Debbie Low, the Canadian team chef de mission, said many of the pollution reducing measure the Chinese plan to introduce for the Olympic Games will improve the air for the Paralympics.
"Everyone is competing under the same conditions," said Low. "Certainly by the time the Paralympics happen the factories will have been shut down longer.
"We're pretty confident Beijing will do everything they can to ensure that everything is in place."
Another concern is accessibility for the disabled in China.
Qualtrough said the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee has made sure all competition venues are fully accessible.
"Accessibility will be an issue in the older venues and on the streets," she said. "Anywhere that BOGOC has made its mark, things will be completely accessible.
"They have set the bar, as far as I'm concerned, for the way Olympic and Paralympic Games should be treating accessibility."
Last month Beijing organizers decided to cancel the international route of the Paralympic torch relay due to the deadly earthquake that struck China in May.
A Paralympic relay is still planned for inside China. Qualtrough said BOGOC has invited 10 Canadians to participate in the relay, with the Chinese picking up the expenses.
"It's important for us to have 10 Canadians of influence," said Qualtrough.
Some of the people being considered include Rick Hansen, who raised awareness with his around-the-world wheelchair marathon, and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, who is a quadriplegic.
Qualtrough would also like to see a winter Paralympic included since Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 July 2008 )
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