The Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games have begun and local athletes are preparing for their chance to shine on the international stage.
Reed De’Aeth, a member of Canada’s men’s wheelchair basketball squad, has many accomplishments under his belt, including being named to the nation’s under-23 team for the Americas Championship in 2022 and making the senior men’s national team.
Securing a bronze medal in the 2023 Parapan American Games, the Sherwood Park native hopes to claim his team’s place on the winners’ podium in his Paralympic debut this year.
“Coming up to it … you’re looking forward to training all this time for it and then when you get here, you’re still not even prepared,” said the 22-year-old competitor on Thursday.
“The fact that you actually made it – the best competition in the world – it’s crazy.”
De’Aeth, who was born without a fibula and had his left foot amputated by age four, explained how seeing all of the other Paralypians who “are also in the same position as him” at the athletes’ village was “pretty cool.”
“They’re training as hard as they can every day. They’re doing everything they have to do to get to this point,” he said.
“You got thousands of people out there coming to see you, cheer, wave, everything. They’re there for you. It’s amazing – I didn’t think it was going to be this awesome.”
De’Aeth began his journey nearly eight years ago when he went to a Para athlete search to experiment in different sports. That’s where he met his future-coach, Darrell Nordell.
“He kind of pointed me out, told me to come give it a try … and then gave me the information for the team, came out, joined them for practice, and just fell in love with it,” he said.
What stands out in Paris for De’Aeth is the opportunity to represent his home country at the highest level of his sport.
“I think being here (in Paris) and having Canada or the maple leaf on your chest going around the village is different than it is when I’m still at home,” he said.
“Yes, I’m still representing the national team, still on the team and all that, but here I know I made it. I’m as high as I can get, the highest (level of) competition. I’ve got people cheering for me from all over the world.”
The Canadian men’s wheelchair basketball team faces France on Friday (10:15 a.m MT) to begin its competition at the Paralympic Games.