Canada Wins Big at Paralympic Games

By Sandy Johnson

Competing among 3000 world class athletes from 94 countries, a team of 143 top ranked Canadians brought home 28 gold, 21 silver, and 26 bronze medals, finishing in 6th place overall.

The Games:

The story of the Games is not so much the medals, world records and spectacular results. It is the Games themselves.

The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960. Coinciding with the Olympic Games, 400 athletes representing 23 countries took part. Since then, the level of competition and the number of competitors has increased, but not until Barcelona has the quality of experience equalled the Olympics.

With the same organizing committee as the Olympic Games, a first in Paralympic History, these games truly paralleled the Olympics in nearly all ways - organization, technology, accommodation, athletic performance, and spectators.

"The medal’s a bonus, but the Paralympics were the real rush," said Hal Merrill, 28, of Fredericton. "The atmosphere was great and these Games were fantastic!"

The Spectators:

Record-breaking crowds filled the competition venues during all 10 days of competition. Over 1.3 million people came to watch athletic excellence, not physical disabilities.

Competing in relative obscurity in Canada these Paralympians experienced the thrill of performing before sold out crowds for their first time in their athletic careers.

The cheering crowds excited and motivated some athletes to excel. For others, the sudden pressure to compete under so many watchful eyes was a distraction and a source for some anxiety. Regardless, all would agree that the spectator support made them feel like true Olympians.

"The crowds cheering really pumped me up. It was such a great feeling to hear them and feel their support," said 20 year old Winnipeg native, Joanne Mucz.

The Competition:

Athletic performances excelled in the competitive arena. With improved technology of wheelchairs, dedication to training and access to quality coaching, athletes around the world came ready to compete at the highest level. Performances far exceeded those in 1988 in Seoul.

Even Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was impressed with these Games. "The Paralympic Games have been as successful as the Olympic Games. That is an indication that we must look again, and think seriously about the subject of people with disabilities."

On Court - Canada’s Dream Team:

Canada’s national wheelchair basketball team won a gold medal - the first ever Paralympic basketball medal for Canada - and led by veterans Linda Kutrowski, 34, of Ottawa and Chantal Benoit, 31, of Mont Sainte-Hillaire, Quebec, Team Canada entered the medal round undefeated and upset the number-one ranked United States’ team to win gold and be crowned the best in the world. Success may seem sudden for Canada’s national women’s wheelchair basketball team. The team finished in fifth spot at the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul. Coach Frick said, "I guess it’s like a lot of sports. You work 20 years to become an overnight sensation."

Canada has a unique wheelchair basketball system that includes able-bodied athletes in the game at club and league levels. Coach Frick credits this system as part of the secret of his team’s success.

"It provides greater opportunities and means that athletes with a disability play at a higher level than anywhere else in the world," says Frick.

In The Pool:

Amputee swimmer Joanne Mucz of Winnipeg dominated in the pool. She won 5 gold medals and set 5 new world records.

After wowing the crowds that jammed the Bernat Picornell pool, the University of Manitoba commerce student said, "I’ve never trained so hard before. Everything I did revolved around preparing to swim as fast as I could in Barcelona, and I did it!"

Visually impaired swimmer Mike Edgson of Victoria won the gold medal and set a Paralympic record in the 100 metre back stroke. He swam in the same lane as Mark Tewksbury, who won a gold at the Olympic Games in the same event.

"I figured if Tewks could do it from Lane 5 then so could I", said Mike who brought home a total of 5 medals.

On The Field:

Joanne Bouw of St. Catherines, Ontario won three gold medals with world record performances in the women’s cerebral palsy discus, shotput and javelin.

Commenting on the enthusiastic Spanish spectators, Joanne said "I just can’t believe the feeling. It’s never been like this before."

Thrower Ljiljana Ljubisic of Coquitlam, British Columbia couldn’t see the crowd of 70 000 who jammed the athletics stadium. However; their enthusiasm motivated her to a world record gold medal win in the discus and silver in the shotput.

"The people attending these Games had a genuine spirit. They came to see athleticism, not disabilities", said Yugoslav-native Ljiljana, who moved to Canada at the age of 9.

Five time Paralympic champion Arnold Boldt of Thompson, Manitoba carried the Canadian flag at the Games’ opening ceremonies. In what may be his final Paralympic Games, Arnold won the gold medal in the men’s high jump. "It feels good to stay on top", said Arnold. "It would be a nice way to retire."

On The Track:

Canada’s 19 member wheelchair track team set five world records and won 29 medals.

In the men’s marathon, Clayton Gerien of Regina, Saskatchewan set a new Paralympic record and won the gold medal. "It was one of the best victories I’ve ever had", said Clayton, who took home a total of two gold and two bronze medals.

Four time Paralympic veteran Andre Viger of Sherbrooke, Quebec won a dramatic gold medal in the men’s 10 000 metre. "This victory, along with my bronze in the demonstration race at the 1984 Olympics is the high-light of my career", said Viger.

Competing in her first Paralympics, rookie Christine Harder of Winnipeg, Manitoba set two world records and captured two gold medals and one silver. Teammate Chantal Petitclerc of Ste-Foy, Quebec beat long time rival Connie Hansen of Denmark for the first time to win a bronze in the two hundred metre.

With Canada in last position after three legs of the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay, anchor Jeff Adams of Smithville, Ontario wheeled the race of his life to move into second spot and gain the silver medal for team Canada. In the men’s 800 metre, Jeff set a new Canadian record and again took silver. This was a triumph after a disappointing showing in the Olympic 1500 metre demonstration race because of equipment difficulties.

Coming Home:

On September 23rd, the Government of Canada honoured medallists and coaches of the XXV Olympic Summer Games and the IXth Summer Paralympic Games in the nation’s capital.

For the first time in the history of the Paralympic Games, Canada’s Paralympic athletes were presented and recognized as true Olympians.

"The achievements of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been a source of tremendous pride for all Canadians. On behalf of the Canadian government I salute our Olympic and Paralympic athletes and coaches", said the honourable Pierre H. Cadieux, the Minister of State for Youth, Fitness and Amateur Sport.

Atlanta 1996

With the Xth Paralympic Games set for Atlanta in 1996, training and dreaming has already begun for Canada’s athletes.

The Canadian Media:

One element that did not parallel the Olympics was the Canadian media coverage. There was only one Canadian radio reporter in Barcelona. The Canadian public had to settle for scattered radio and newspaper reports and no television coverage. This was not the case for most of the other 93 countries in attendance. Over 1 600 journalists and 50 television networks were in Barcelona covering the Games for their respective countries.

If you want to see live coverage in Atlanta in 1996, then call or write the Canadian television networks. They are in business to meet the needs of the public, so let them hear from you.

Sandy Johnson is the Communications Director for the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association.

CWSA would like to apologize for any misunderstanding created as a result of the article "Canada’s Best On The Track" in the summer issue of ABILITIES. The damage to Jeff Adam’s chair was a direct result of the crash he experienced, not a product defect.