Two St. Albert-area athletes are in France this week looking to win gold at the Paralympics.
About 126 Canadian athletes will compete in 18 sports this Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 at the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games. Two of them are St. Albert resident Reid Maxwell (para swimming) and former Legal resident Arinn Young (wheelchair basketball).
St. Albert sitting volleyball player Angelena Dolezar had travelled to France to participate in the Games but had to withdraw and return to Canada before the event started, Volleyball Canada spokesperson Courtney Killion said in an Aug. 23 email.
Super swimmer
Maxwell, 16, was born without a lower right leg and has Prune Belly Syndrome (near or total absence of abdominal muscles). He is making his Paralympic debut and is the youngest Canadian athlete at the Games. He coincidentally shares a birthday (Sept. 2) with the oldest Canadian athlete at the Games, wheelchair fender Ruth Sylvie Morel (67).
Speaking on Aug. 19, Maxwell said he and his 21 fellow para swimmers had spent the last week training in Vichy, France.
“I swim anywhere from five to seven kilometres (a day),” he said, with weight training and other exercises on top of that.
Maxwell said he hadn’t had much time to look around France yet, and was relying on his French-fluent teammates to get around. Many of those teammates were veterans of the Games.
“It is definitely nice to be able to train with people who are older and much more experienced than me,” he said.
Maxwell said the para swim team will move to the Olympic Village on Aug. 24. Once the Games begin, he will compete in the Men’s S8 100 m butterfly, 100 m backstroke, 100 m freestyle, 200 m individual medley, 400 m freestyle, and possibly some relays. His first event will be Aug. 31. His parents, sister, uncle, and one set of grandparents plan to be in Paris to cheer him on.
“It will be the biggest pool I’ve ever competed in,” Maxwell said of the venue, adding that it was supposed to be a very fast place to swim.
Maxwell said he hoped to do well at the Games for Canada, particularly in his strongest event, the 400 m freestyle.
Back for b-ball
Back for her third Paralympics is Arinn Young, 28, a 10-year member of Canada’s national wheelchair basketball team who grew up in Legal and recently moved to Rocky Mountain House.
“It makes me feel very old!” she joked, when asked about being a three-time Paralympian, adding that some of her teammates had been with Team Canada for longer than her.
Young switched to wheelchair from stand-up basketball in 2011 following multiple knee operations. When not playing for Team Canada, she plays professional wheelchair basketball in Europe.
Speaking on Aug. 19, Young said Team Canada was currently ranked fifth in the world in wheelchair basketball and was set to touch down in France this Aug. 22. Their first opponent at the Games will be China — a team known for its disciplined play style.
“We (Team Canada) like to bring chaos into it, so it will be very interesting to see how it plays out,” she said, adding that Canada beat China at the most recent world championships.
Young said she planned to enjoy this year’s Paralympics and walk in the opening ceremonies for the first time. Time permitting, she hoped to visit the Eiffel Tower and hang out with her parents (who will be watching her from the stands).
On the court, Young said she hoped to show the world her “killer mentality” and bring home her first Paralympic medal.
“I’m really looking forward to representing Canada again and showing some people up in the process,” she quipped.
Dolezar was unavailable for an interview by press deadline.
The 2024 Paris Paralympics will be covered live on CBC, and can be viewed at www.cbc.ca/sports/paralympics.
