CANADIAN GETS RIGHT AT THE NUB OF HUMAN SPIRIT
Gold-winning swimmer Roxon unabashedly embraces her disability
There is always room on an Olympic podium for nationalism, for celebration and adoration, tears and sportsmanship.
A Paralympic podium is by necessity larger and by design even more accommodating. And on Wednesday night, Canadian swimmer and gold medallist Katarina Roxon and a couple of her closest rivals found their perch so comfortable they went “nubs up” as she put it, in front of a packed crowd and a worldwide TV audience. Roxon, Ireland’s Ellen Keane and Claire Cashmore of Britain each raised their shortened left arms to the sky and posed for a rather unforgettable photo.
“We said we should do something fun up there,” said Roxon. ‘Oh my gosh, what do we have that nobody else has?’
“Put the nub up. Yep. It was great.”
It wasn’t really a statement, rather three young women, close friends, goofing around. And yet, it spoke quietly to their comfort level in the warm embrace of the Paralympics. Roxon, a 23-yearold who long ago stopped worrying about what able-bodied people think of her disability, just wanted to celebrate their sameness in a venue bursting with acceptance.
“It hasn’t made me who I am, but I’ve used my arm to make myself who I am,” said the Newfoundland native. “Honestly, if I had the chance to go back in time to have two arms, I would not do it. I love my arm so much. So many people back in high school asked me, ‘Would you get two arms if you could? We heard there’s like a surgery you can get.’ Definitely not. Honestly, I love my arm. I love all the challenges I’ve faced.
“I know growing up I was always really shy about my arm. If I didn’t have my fake arm on I’d always hold my (right) hand over my arm. Over time I grew up and it was like, I love my arm. I’m not ashamed of it.”
Swimmers lay it all on the line in very little clothing. The most exposed Paralympians always feel support from fellow athletes and family, swim coaches and officials. But the love that has poured out of the seats and into the pool at these Games has been remarkable. Other athletes are feeling it, too. Ticket sales are north of two million. Sunday’s closing ceremonies will be sold out at 35,000.
“It’s 2016,” said Roxon. “It’s such a great, great year to be a Paralympian. They don’t look at you differently if you have a disability. I know some people do back home. They’ll look at you differently, for sure. I think Brazil is so open to the idea of Paralympic sport and I think the whole world is getting used to the idea of para sport and the athletes.”
And that’s the nub. Er, rub. These athletes are comfortable in their skin. Like, really com- fortable. Witness the following conversation between a wellmeaning media attaché and a one-armed swimmer.
Attaché: “Do you need a hand with that?”
Swimmer: “I always need a hand.”
There is an appealing darkness to the humour, and it’s everywhere, particularly in the athletes village where they can really let it all hang out.
“In the village, we accept each other’s disability, but we think it’s cool,” said Jolan Wong, captain of the Canadian women’s sitting volleyball team. “It’s like ‘Wow, that person’s body is different than ours.’ It’s funny, when we see able-bodied people in the village, we’re like, what’s their disability?
“We play a game called spot the disability, because we’re trying to see what’s wrong with that person.
“I just wish that people from around the world could spend one day in the Paralympic village and see the amazing humans in there. You’re OK to go in shorts every day. It’s OK to check other people out. It’s not like you’re going to be stared down by everyone. We don’t feel hesitant to be ourselves, I guess you could say.”
We witness the athleticism, work ethic, joy and disappointment. But we don’t always equate that with normal, and we should.
“I think now that society is getting an idea of what Paralympic sport is and who people with disabilities are, people are getting a better sense of, not how they should act around us, just act normal,” said Roxon. “There is no special way to act. We’re just normal people like everybody else. We just have a few limbs missing, that’s about it.”
I was always really shy about my arm. ... Over time I grew up and it was like, I love my arm. I’m not ashamed of it.