When Tokyo 2020 organizers unveiled their motto Stronger Together for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they were sending a message about the importance of coming together safely during a time of pandemic to experience the athletic skill and personal drama that comes with every Games.
That motto also describes Canada’s Para athletics team to a tee.
After more than a year when travel and gathering was highly restricted, 16 men and women came together to hit incredible heights during this most unique edition of the Paralympic Games.
Performance on demand
While success is not only judged on medals and records, there were plenty of those to go around.
Athletics Canada’s para athletics team left Tokyo with eight medals – two gold, four silver, two bronze – won by five individual medallists. For context, that is the same number of medals and medallists as Rio 2016. The Para athletics team tied with Canada’s swimming team with that count of eight medals and the Canadian Paralympic Team overall won 21 total medals (five gold, 10 silver, six bronze) and finished 19th in the medals table.
Leading the way was five-time Paralympian Brent Lakatos, who won four silver medals. The 41-year-old from Dorval, Que. scaled the podium to receive his prize in each of the T54 5,000 metres, T53 400 metres, T53 100 metres and the T53 800 metres. Lakatos also contested the marathon racing in both the shortest and longest distances of competition.
“It’s been a lot of silver and I really wanted to bring home a gold. I really wanted to have our anthem played. I’m sure that, in a couple days, it will feel absolutely great,” said Lakatos.
By contrast, Canada’s two gold medallists were making their first Paralympic appearances. Greg Stewart won Canada’s first gold medal on the sixth day of Para athletics competition in Tokyo, taking the crown in the men’s F46 shot put final, throwing a new Paralympic record 16.75 metres in his first throw of the competition. Nate Riech grabbed the team’s second gold medal on the last full day of competition, setting a Paralympic record of his own in a dominating win in the men’s T37 1,500 metres.
“I can’t even describe it yet. I don’t have the words. It’s been a very cool experience. I think it will really hit me when I talk to my family – my girlfriend, my parents,” said Stewart.
“I just wanted to try to make that 10-year-old me who was paralyzed in a hospital bed proud. That was my goal and I think I did that,” said Riech.
Zach Gingras and Marissa Papaconstantinou were the two bronze medallists. Both members of the 4x100-metre universal relay team, they scored individual success in the men’s T38 400 metres and women’s T64 100 metres, respectively. Both young racers needed new Canadian record times and close finishes at the line to earn their Paralympic podium breakthroughs.
“It means so much. It’s been a tough 18 months for everyone so to come out here and perform the way I did is nice to show that all my hard work paid off,” said Gingras.
“It just completely solidifies all the work I’ve put in over the last few years, persevering through some really tough injuries, getting disqualified at my first Paralympic Games, and the COVID pandemic,” said Papaconstantinou.
All told, Canadian para athletes registered 14 Top-8 performances, set five Canadian records, two Area records and two Paralympic records over the course of these Games.
Fly the flag … again
Brent Lakatos was selected to carry the Maple Leaf into Tokyo National Stadium for the Closing Ceremonies.
“It’s such an honour to be able to represent your country at a Games like this and then to be a flag bearer on top of that is amazing,” he said. “I’ve never done something like this before, I’ve stood on the podium, I’ve heard our anthem play, but I’ve never gotten to hold the flag.”
Athletics Canada athletes were named Canada’s flag bearer to close both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, after decathlete Damian Warner represented Canada at the end of the Olympics.
Team behind the team
The athletes’ remarkable performance on the field of play was remarkable. Though most athletics events are individual competitions, with one athlete taking on the rest of the field, Athletics Canada’s high performance department and Integrated Support Team (IST) were integral in preparing the team for the unique competition environment they would enter.
“We have such a tight-knit team and such a great staff. Everything is run so smoothly and I think we’re all going home happy,” said Thomas Normandeau who competed in the T45 400 metres.
Supporting Lakatos competing in six different events over the 10 days was a team effort – one that paid dividends in podium performances.
“There is an absolutely amazing group of people around me, with. Athletics Canada staff and even the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Carla Nicholls, our head coach is just amazing. I travelled from the venue to the Village with the team doctor and everybody takes care of me. It couldn’t actually be any better. That’s how you manage competing in six events,” said Lakatos.
Arrigato gozaimasu Nihon
At a time when international travel has been limited, and when all nations are continuing efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic, host country Japan provided a warm welcome, a safe environment to train and compete, and an unforgettable Paralympic Games experience.
After complicated travel schedules to Japan, the Para athletics team converged on Gifu prefecture for a training camp designed to provide a camp to make final preparations for competition, build a team atmosphere, and acclimatize the athletes to Japan’s time zone, heat, humidity and sudden rain.
“I’m very appreciative for the acclimatization camp in Gifu. It was nice to come over early and get used to the time zone, and get used to the weather, even though it flips vey quickly. The whole experience with the culture and how willing the Japanese people are to help and to make sure everything runs smoothly – I think they were one of the only countries in the world who could put on these Games in a pandemic,” said Normandeau
Upon arrival in Tokyo for the Games, the organization, graciousness and professionalism of the hosts was immediately on display.
“The people here are fantastic, the country is beautiful and I can’t wait to come back and see more,” said F38 discus athlete Jennifer Brown.
“While the fans are obviously missed when the athletes are on the stage, the atmosphere that was created here still felt like the Paralympics, especially in the Village,” said T34 athlete Austin Smeenk. “Japan was going to go all-out hosting these Games and it’s unfortunate they weren’t able to execute what they had planned, due to the pandemic.
The road to Paris starts today
The Closing Ceremonies of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games featured the traditional handover ceremony to the next host – Paris in 2024. While athletes and support staff alike can dream of competing in another of the world’s great capitals, the work to excel in the City of Lights has long since started.
Before the team enters the Stade de France for the Opening Ceremony three years from now, there is plenty of business to take care of, not the least of which is a return to Japan for the 2020 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe.
Expect more medals and records, personal bests and crowd-pleasing moments from the Canadian Para athletics team on the road to Paris.
Notable Canadian Results at Tokyo 2020
Medallists
Greg Stewart – Gold, men’s F46 shot put (16.75m)
Nate Riech – Gold, men’s T37 1,500 metres (3:58.92)
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T53 100m (14.55)
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T53 400m (46.75)
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T54 5,000m (10:30.19)
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T53 800m (1:35.32)
Zachary Gingras – Bronze, men’s T38 400m (50.85)
Marissa Papaconstantinou – Bronze, women’s T64 100m (13.07)
Top 8
Brent Lakatos – 4th, men’s T54 marathon (1:29:18)
Renee Foessel – 4th, women’s F38 discus (32.23m)
Marissa Papaconstantinou – 5th, women’s T64 200m (27.08)
Guillaume Ouellet – 5th, men’s T13 5,000m (14:47.47)
Amy Watt – 5th, women’s T47 long jump (5.28m)
Liam Stanley – 5th, men’s T37 1,500m (4:06.95)
Austin Smeenk – 5th, men’s T34 800m (1:47.58)
Charlotte Bolton – 6th, women’s F41 shot put (8.73m)
Charlotte Bolton – 6th, women’s F41 discus (27.72m)
Sarah Mickey – 6th, women’s F55 discus (22.49m)
Thomas Normandeau – 6th, T47 400m (50.02)
Austin Smeenk – 7th, men’s T34 100m (15.92)
Jessica Frotten – 8th, women’s T53 400m (1:01.16)
Jennifer Brown – 8th, women’s F38 discus (27.57m)
Canadian Record
Greg Stewart – Gold, men’s F46 shot put (16.75m)
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T53 400m (46.75)
Zachary Gingras – Bronze, men’s T38 400m (50.85)
Marissa Papaconstantinou – women’s T64 200m (heats – 27.22)
Marissa Papaconstantinou – 5th, women’s T64 200m (27.08)
Paralympic Record
Greg Stewart – Gold, men’s F46 shot put (16.75m)
Nate Riech – Gold, men’s T38 1,500 metres (3:58.92)
Liam Stanley – 5th, men’s T37 1,500m (4:06.95)
Area Record
Brent Lakatos – Silver, men’s T53 400m (46.75)
Charlotte Bolton – 6th, women’s F41 discus (27.72m)
