Para athletics update: Anthony Bouchard hungry for more after Paris experience

MONTREAL – As Anthony Bouchard prepares for the start of his season later this weekend in Switzerland, the Paris 2024 Paralympian is ready to pursue his wheelchair racing goals.

The 32-year-old from Quebec City was fourth in the T52 100m, just 0.11 seconds from the podium and sixth in the 400m in Paris. It was a huge improvement over his eighth-place finishes a year earlier at the world championships, also in the French capital.

“I feel ready. It’s been a good winter, which gives me a lot of confidence for the season,’’ Bouchard told Sportcom last week. “Paris gave me a better idea for the next Games. I’m going to go one year at a time, and I’ll have a bit more pressure for what’s to come. For now, the important thing will be to qualify for the World Championships in New Delhi.”

Those worlds are set for September 26 to October 5. But before, the first big test of the season is the annual Nottwil Grand Prix in Switzerland on a track that’s been the scene for many world record performances.

“It’s often in Switzerland that we set our fastest times of the season,’’ said Bouchard, a gold and bronze medallist in the 100m and 400m at the 2023 Parapan American Games. ‘’The track is super fast at Nottwil and all my international competitors will be there, so it gives a good idea of where I’m at.”

That event runs this Friday to Sunday. That is followed by one day events in Arbon, Switzerland on May 29 and 31 where Canadian wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos set his still standing world records in the 100m, 200m and 800m.

Canada is fielding an 16-member team for the Nottwil meet.

For the men’s it’s Bouchard, Lakatos, Paralympic Games champions Austin Smeenk of Oakville, Ont., and Cody Fournie of Rimbey, Alta., as well Brendan Cote-Williamson of Saskatoon, Dante Cormier of Riverview, N.B., Maitlan Knoke of Saskatoon and Zach Gingras of Markham, Ont.

For the women it’s Katie Pegg of Halifax, Charlotte Bolton of Tillsonburg, Ont., Natalie Thirsk of Edmonton, Marissa Papaconstantinou of Toronto, Laura Calovini of Brampton, Ont., Carleigh Hitlz of Truro, N.S., Sheriauna Hasse of Toronto and Nandini Sharma of Brampton, Ont.

Katie Pegg is on a mission that’s beyond medals as a Para athlete

Like Bouchard, 20-year-old Katie Pegg of Halifax made her Games debut in Paris. It was a giant step for the biology and forensic sciences student at St. Mary’s University. Not only in terms of her development as a shot putter, but also in her journey to show that people with a disability can achieve their goals in life.

‘’One of the reasons I’ve pushed myself so hard in sports is that I want to show that people with a disability can do things that people without a disability can do,’’ she said in an interview with USports. ‘’The disability doesn’t mean there is a limitation.’’

Shot put was one of the first sports Pegg actually tried as a youngster, but it was set aside as she dabbled in other sports including tackle football before she returned to track and field in university.

She is very much on a learning curve in the sport.

‘’In shotput you can glide or rotate on your throw and right now I’m learning how to rotate,’’ said Pegg, born without a radial bone in her right forearm. ‘’It’s a lot more technical than you think and it’s difficult.’’

Her experience in Paris was unforgettable.

“It was being in an environment where everyone is there for a common goal,’’ she recalled. ‘’I thought I was going to be a lot more nervous than I actually was. Still I was rushing every throw which wasn’t beneficial but looking back, a definitely good experience.

With last year’s fast paced progress, Pegg hopes she can learn to appreciate her journey more in the upcoming seasons.