A Mission archery coach is aiming for the podium at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris.
Linda Price was the backup archery coach for both the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020, and again for the Paris Olympics earlier this month.
However, this time Price will take the lead.
The Starr Archery coach will be attending the 2024 Paris Paralympics as the head coach for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 para archery team.
The team features OntarioB次元官网网址檚 Kyle Tremblay, a wheelchair athlete competing in the Compound Men's open category, who is the lone archer representing Canada.
B次元官网网址淗e's been training so hard to get to this point. I just admire his stamina and perseverance in getting the job done,B次元官网网址 Price said.
She began working with the Paralympics program in 2021 and says it has been an amazing experience. Price is inspired by the work of the para-athletes, despite the barriers they face.
B次元官网网址淚t's a real eye opener of the challenges that those athletes meet on a day-to-day basis that we don't really think about. So I really admire that they push through those challenges and then are successful in what they're doing. It's really nice to see,B次元官网网址 Price said.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a long wait for Paris since earning a spot in the Games last November in Chile, Price says.
B次元官网网址淚t seems like it has just taken forever and then all of a sudden it's here,B次元官网网址 she said.
Preparations for Paris have included several international competitions in Dubai, Brazil and Czechia. During those competitions, Canada earned some bronze medals and progressed further in match play.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been lots of competition, getting used to a tighter competition environment and a deeper field of play,B次元官网网址 Price said.
The Paralympic quota spot was earned over a two-year process that culminated with qualification at the Para Pan American Games in November 2023.
The dream for Price since she started coaching archery has been to make it to the Olympics. Achieving that goal has yet to sink in.
B次元官网网址淚t still seems unreal to me that I actually have this opportunity,B次元官网网址 Price said.
Price says the experience coaching with Archery Canada has been wonderful. Attending international events and gaining experience has added more to her arsenal.
B次元官网网址淵ou should never think that you're not learning. As a coach, you should always be learning,B次元官网网址 she said.
Archers will be under the spotlight more at the Paralympics than other international competitions, but Price isnB次元官网网址檛 nervous.
B次元官网网址淎t all the international events, the beginning of the match play is just on a big field and there's lots of matches going on at the same time. But in this, every single match is its own match and its own finals venue. So it's got a little more hype to it. Well, that makes it more exciting,B次元官网网址 Price said.
Price was in Paris prior to the Tokyo Paralympics for a different competition, but COVID restrictions were still in place and she didnB次元官网网址檛 get to see many sites.
Time will be short for tourism again this time around, with just one day of non-competition.
The competition begins on Aug. 29 at 8 a.m. PT with the Men's Individual Compound open ranking round while match play in the 1/16 round is scheduled to begin August 30 at 6:30 a.m. PT.
B次元官网网址淥ur goal is to move on to the final rounds of 1/8 to the final medal matches beginning on Sept. 1,B次元官网网址 Price said.