Rowing Canada names Paralympic athletes
For the Team Canada crew of five para-rowers that will hit the water in Rio at the 2016 Paralympic Games, the opportunity is much more than just a competition.
At 18, Victoria Nolan, of Toronto, was diagnosed with a progressive eye disease that would limit her field of vision as she got older. After having two children, Nolan was left with only 3 per cent vision.
“It was a struggle having my two babies and pretty much being in the dark trying to function with them,” said Nolan, who will make her third Paralympic Games appearance.
“I turned to rowing to help get me out of that darkness to find something to give me independence, its been a great turnaround in my life.”
Nolan, 41, retired after the London 2012 Games, but returned in 2015 after she realized how much she missed rowing.
She will be joined by fellow three-time veteran Meghan Montgomery, of Winnipeg, and two-time veteran Kristen Kit, of St. Catharines.
Montgomery also retired in 2012, but like Nolan, came back to earn her seat and a ticket to Rio.
“This group and this team has been really special, this whole year has been really special. I’m really excited about this one,” said Montgomery, who has a disability in her right hand. “I’m glad that I came back and am moving towards moving this boat onto the podium.”
This is rowing’s third appearance at the Paralympic Games — it was first included at Beijing 2008. There is one men’s, one women’s and two mixed events during the games.
Canada has yet to win a medal at the Paralympic Games in rowing.
This year’s crew boasts a combination of veteran leadership, rookie talent and an impressive track record.
Last month they won gold at the 2016 World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland. They also won bronze at the 2015 world championships, which earned them their berth in Rio.
Making their Paralympic debuts, Andrew Todd, of Thunder Bay, and Curtis Halladay, of Sudbury, will bring different experiences to the boat, as both rookies were able-bodied athletes before having debilitating accidents.
“Those two come with their own athletic experiences, so it’s really added to the dynamic and we are learning from them as well,” said Montgomery. “They are always game to learn and game to contribute.”
Todd, 27, was training for a spot on the men’s national fours team when he was struck by a bus in London in 2013, after multiple surgeries he could not regain the same use of his right leg. He remained focused on rowing and joined the para program, earning a spot on the team in 2015.
Halladay, a world indoor rowing champion, joined the program after a major motorcross racing accident in 2012.
“Initially I took it pretty well, I always had the attitude of what’s done is done, I can’t really go back on it, just move on, pick it up and keep going,” said the 21-yearold.
With a long wingspan and the height of a basketball player, Halladay was introduced to rowing a year after his accident and quickly transitioned to elite status, winning bronze with the team at the 2015 world championships the same year he set the world indoor record.
“I never really thought about competing at such an elite level, but always try to do everything at 100 per cent,” said Halladay. “Finding something I fit in with (like rowing) is the result of putting all my effort into it.
The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games run from Sept. 7 to 18, with the Paralympic regatta — rowing — taking place from Sept. 8 to 11 at the Lagoa Stadium.
Canada’s para-rowing team won gold last month at the 2016 World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland, and bronze at the 2015 world championships.