Sarah Melenka Sarah Melenka

Sarah Melenka has been a member of the national team since 2017. She attended the 2020 Paralympic Games,  2019 Parapan Am Games (bronze) and the 2018 and 2022 (silver)  world championship.

She was named top passer at the 2020 Paralympic Games qualifier in Halifax which Canada won to earned a berth for Tokyo 2020.

Melenka competed on St. Mary’s Catholic High School track team and standing volleyball team in her hometown of Vegreville, AB.

As she completed grade nine, Melenka began having pains and weakness in her right leg. In 2014, after countless trips to the doctor, she was diagnosed with compartment syndrome (prevents the movement of blood and oxygen to nerve and muscle cells).

At the end of grade 11, Melenka’s condition began to deteriorate. She spent the summer of 2015 fighting for her leg, having nine surgeries. The doctors decided that there was enough living tissue in her leg that they were able to save it. Melenka has 30 per cent muscle deficiency in her right calf.

Still, Melenka never gave up on volleyball. The summer after graduating high school Melenka made the  Northern Alberta Institute of Technology volleyball team and played from 2016-2019, while studying personal fitness.

While at NAIT, Melenka suffered a stress fracture in her right leg and was no loner able to play standing volleyball. Melenka got in contact with Volleyball Canada’s Ian Halliday who suggested she try sitting volleyball.

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

2020 Paralympic Games… 2019 Parapan American Games… 2018, 2022 World Championships…

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

• 2022 World Championships – 2nd
• 2020 Paralympic Games – 4th
• 2019 Parapan Am Games – 3rd
• 2018 world championship – 7th