Nate Riech was nauseous with nerves before his Paralympic debut Saturday. His right leg was feeling worse than it normally does.
B次元官网网址淲arming up I felt probably the worst IB次元官网网址檝e ever felt. So there was definitely some anxiety, my leg just didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to be working properly,B次元官网网址� Riech said.
B次元官网网址淚 was like sick, going-to-throw-up nervous and I donB次元官网网址檛 get that nervous for many races. Obviously, this oneB次元官网网址檚 a big one. But I think I scared the crap out of my coach (former national team middle-distance runner Heather Hennigar) because I came to her and I was like, B次元官网网址業 feel horrible.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Riech neednB次元官网网址檛 have worried. The 26-year-old from Victoria, an emerging star in Canadian track and field, obliterated the field in winning the 1,500 metres in his Paralympic debut in Tokyo on Saturday.
Riech took the lead with two-and-a-half laps to go, and glanced over his shoulder with 50 metres remaining to ensure nobody was close. No one was. Riech B次元官网网址� pronounced B次元官网网址榬eeshB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� won by nearly 50 metres, crossing in a Paralympic record of three minutes 58.92 seconds. He let out a roar at the finish line, flexing his arms.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted to enjoy the last 200 metres if I could, I think I definitely did that last 50 metres and yeah, there was definitely yelling (at the finish line). IB次元官网网址檓 sure thereB次元官网网址檚 some pictures that my buddies are going to make fun of me for,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh.
RiechB次元官网网址檚 gold was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 21st medal in Tokyo. Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que., who has four silver track medals in Tokyo, is CanadaB次元官网网址檚 lone competitor Sunday. HeB次元官网网址檒l race the marathon hours before carrying CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag into the closing ceremony.
Despite his dominance, Riech is relatively new to Paralympic sport. He ran NCAA track at Furman University and South Alabama, despite a brain injury suffered as a child that impaired movement on the right side of his body B次元官网网址� hence, his issues with his right leg Saturday.
Riech was golfing with friends in Phoenix, where the family lived, when he was just 10. They briefly took shelter from the sun under a tree while allowing a group to play through. Riech was hit by a line drive from 150 yards out. Riech called his mom Ardin Tucker to pick him up, and by the time they reached the hospital, RiechB次元官网网址檚 face was drooping, and heB次元官网网址檇 lost the movement of half his body.
Doctors told Tucker they werenB次元官网网址檛 certain heB次元官网网址檇 survive.
On Saturday, Riech reflected on frightening time.
B次元官网网址淚 felt like I got too concentrated on winning gold (in Tokyo), so my sport psychologist and I came up with: just try to make that 10-year-old me who was paralyzed in a hospital bed proud,B次元官网网址� Riech said. B次元官网网址淭hat was my goal and I think I did that.B次元官网网址�
Riech made his Para sport debut in spectacular fashion in 2018, breaking the world record in both the 800 and 1,500 in his first international event. In this past year alone, heB次元官网网址檚 broken his own 1,500 world record three times (itB次元官网网址檚 currently 3:47.89), and shattered the 5,000 mark. He credited his consistency in training and ability to stay injury-free, partly because the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Canadian athletes from competing a lot.
Riech was a talented young athlete in several sports before his injury, and there was little question heB次元官网网址檇 still grow up to be an athlete B次元官网网址� his entire family is steeped in sports excellence. Tucker was a pole vaulter on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national team. His dad Todd Riech, who grew up on the Flathead-Kootenai reservation in Montana, was the only Native American on the U.S. team B次元官网网址� he threw javelin B次元官网网址� at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
His stepdad Ben Tucker was a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. His grandfather Jim Harrison played in the NHL for Toronto, Boston, Edmonton and Chicago. His grandmother Liz Harrison rode equestrian for Canada while his uncle Trevor Harrison played rugby for Canada.
Since the pandemic prevented family were permitted to travel to Tokyo, RiechB次元官网网址檚 first call Saturday was his mom, whose encouragement saw him take up Paralympic running. SheB次元官网网址檇 hosted family for a viewing party at her home just outside Atlanta.
B次元官网网址淢y mom is who IB次元官网网址檓 probably missing the most,B次元官网网址� Riech said. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 been a part of it all, and we have a very special relationship.B次元官网网址�
Tokyo held special significance for Riech as an Indigenous athlete. American Billy Mills, from the Oglala Sioux tribe, won the Olympic 10,000 metres in the same city in the 1964 Olympics. Riech said Mills was a supporter of his father.
B次元官网网址淚 met Billy Mills when he gave out awards at one of my high school cross-country meets in Arizona. So, itB次元官网网址檚 been really special (being in Tokyo), it would have been awesome to have (Mills) here,B次元官网网址� Riech said.
"I just wanted to make proud that 10-year-old boy who was paralysed in a hospital bed and the doctors said wouldn't do anything in sport."
B次元官网网址� #ParaAthletics #Tokyo2020 (@ParaAthletics)
B次元官网网址淢y middle name GrayWolf, IB次元官网网址檝e always thought it was a true honour, itB次元官网网址檚 something I definitely take a lot of pride in.B次元官网网址�
While Riech heads home with gold-medal memories, he said his favourite moment of the Games had nothing to do with his race. His friend Zach Gingras, whoB次元官网网址檚 also his roommate back in Victoria, climbed the medal podium in the 400 earlier in the Games, lopping two seconds off his personal best.
B次元官网网址淚t was the emotion after Zach got bronze. IB次元官网网址檓 not someone who cries and I just bawled my eyes out. Yeah, it was special. WeB次元官网网址檝e just become just close, good friends,B次元官网网址� Riech said.
While there was no 800 or 5,000 metres in RiechB次元官网网址檚 category in Tokyo, he hopes that either one is added to the program three years from now for the Paris Paralympics.
Liam Stanley of Victoria raced to fifth in the same 1,500 final as Riech, which combined T37 and T38 categories. StanleyB次元官网网址檚 time of 4:06.95 was a Paralympic record for a T37 runner B次元官网网址� which is a greater level of impairment than RiechB次元官网网址檚 T38 category.
B次元官网网址淚 executed the race the way I wanted to execute it. I just didnB次元官网网址檛 have the finish that the guys ahead of me had,B次元官网网址� said Stanley. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 proud of the effort I put in and if I wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to medal, I was going to walk away from here with a record. ItB次元官网网址檚 a really big achievement.B次元官网网址�
Renee Foessel of Orangeville, Ont., finished fourth in the womenB次元官网网址檚 discus at a rain-drenched Olympic Stadium. Jenn Brown of Calgary was eighth.
B次元官网网址淭he pouring rain was very difficult but we went in prepared for the elements, we had a game plan, and we executed it the best we could,B次元官网网址� Foessel said. B次元官网网址淚 was hoping to achieve a better result but when it comes to the day, you have to go out there and do the best you can.
B次元官网网址淭oday, unfortunately, that was just the best I could do.B次元官网网址�
Austin Smeenk of Oakville, Ont., was fifth in his 800 final while Thomas Normandeau of Peace River, Alta., was sixth place in the 400.
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 sitting volleyball team finished a best-ever fourth after a 3-1 loss to Japan in the bronze-medal game.
B次元官网网址淐oming into this tournament, our goal was to be in a medal match, and we did that, but fourth was never going to be enough for us,B次元官网网址� said team captain Danielle Ellis. B次元官网网址淚 do believe that we came and showed the world that we are deserving of our place here at the Paralympics and now weB次元官网网址檙e ready to go home and work hard to earn our spot at the podium in Paris 2024.B次元官网网址�
Three Canadian canoe athletes made finals in their Paralympic debuts. Mathieu St-Pierre of Shawinigan, Que., was fifth in his 200-metre event. Brianna Hennessy of Ottawa was eighth in the KL1 200 kayak while Andrea Nelson of Markham, Ont., was eighth in the womenB次元官网网址檚 KL2 200 final.
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
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