A recent graduate of Holy Trinity Academy is just days away from the biggest athletic competition of his life.
Okotokian Zak Madell and the Canadian wheelchair rugby team get things going at the 2012 London Paralympic Games with pool play from Sept. 5 to 7 and the 18-year-old athlete can ' t wait to wheel onto the court.
“ I have felt like a small child counting down the days until Christmas,” Madell said via email of his excitement for the beginning of the Paralympics. “ This is one of the biggest things I have ever done in my life and I am extremely excited to be able to represent my country in such a high level event.”
Team Canada, looking to improve on silver and bronze medals from the last two Paralympic Games in 2004 and 2008, respectively, will be in tough in a competitive field of eight teams in London, Madell said.
“ The team has a very good chance of medaling, potentially even gold,” Madell said. “ The Americans have always been Canada ' s biggest rivals, they are currently ranked first in the world. Australia is also a very strong competitor, however, we will not be given any easy games.
“ Almost all eight teams have the potential to medal.”
Madell and his teammates have been training at the University of Leeds before arriving at their new living quarters, the Paralympic Village just blocks from their competition venue, on Tuesday.
Madell will be participating in the opening ceremonies on Aug. 29, behind rugby teammate and Canadian flag bearer Garrett Hickling and the closing ceremonies on Sept. 9.
The wheelchair rugby pool play concludes on Sept. 7, with semifinals to follow on Sept. 8 and the gold and bronze medal games on Sept. 9.
In the pool
Okotoks swimmer Kirstie Kasko has three opportunities to medal at London ' s Aquatic Centre after a busy summer of training for the Games.
The Canadian Para swimming team held training camp at elevation in Flagstaff, Arizona and just completed two weeks of swimming in Lignanoso Sabbidaro, Italy.
Kasko swims in the 100m backstroke on Aug. 31 at 4:18 a.m.(MST) and, if she advances to the finals, gets back in the pool at 12:42 p.m.
The 200m freestyle is next for Kasko, with the preliminary swim at 3:01 a.m. on Sept. 2 and the finals later that day at 10:45 a.m.
The Foothills Stingray swimmer closes out her Paralympic Games on Sept. 6 with the 100m breaststroke competition at 3:46 a.m. and, should she advance to the finals, again at 11:26 a.m.
The swimming events will all be streamed live on the Swim Canada website at www.swimming.ca.
The Paralympics will be streamed on ctvparalympics.ca. In addition, TSN and Sportsnet One will be airing a one-hour Paralympic wrap-up program every night at 8 p.m.
