The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Sports Oakville Beaver By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012 23 Young wheelchair racer happy to take things slow o almost any athlete, the Olympics and Paralympics are the summit, the biggest goal they could ever work towards in their career. For Austin Smeenk and his coach Ken Thom, that's exactly why they didn't want to go. Despite meeting the criteria to represent Canada in wheelchair racing at this year's Paralympics in London, the 15-year-old Smeenk withdrew his name from consideration for the Paralympic team last month. "It was, for sure, a difficult choice," said Smeenk, who won two gold medals and a silver at the national championships in June. The decision, which also included input from Smeenk's parents, Tom and Sandy (who had the final say, since Austin is still a minor), was based on several major factors. The group considered Austin's world ranking (he's currently eighth in the T34 class, a category for wheelchair athletes with neurological deficits), his equipment (he's currently using a borrowed chair while he awaits a custom-fitted chair from the Sunshine Foundation Make A Wish Fund) and his stage of development. But the biggest influence in their decision-making process was that it simply ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @HALTON_PHOTOG seemed like too much, too soon. "You think of the Olympics and the THANKS, BUT NO THANKS: Oakville wheelchair racer Austin Smeenk, 15, met the criteria to represent Canada at this year's Paralympics in Paralympics, that is every athlete's dream, London but chose to withdraw his name from consideration for the Paralympic team. Smeenk, his parents and his coach all feel competing at the the big show. That's what they all want to do," Paralympics at such a young age would be detrimental to his athletic career. said Thom, a coach with the Cruisers Sports for the Physically Disabled club that serves was 15 and sitting on the ice with his Team T34 class at such a young age has Smeenk might soon need to quit that sport in order to Halton and Peel regions. "When you take a Canada jersey on, it made him sick to his excited about his potential to eventually focus completely on wheelchair racing. become a Paralympic champion. The Iroquois Ridge High School student 15-year-old who is not ready, everything can stomach to be in front of that many people. "I think I trust (Ken's) coaching advice "That's the opportunity I said he decided several years go the other way. ago that his disease would "Kids get the attitude that this was easy, because he's coached a lot of people. I've see and the dream I go after," "It was for sure a big said Smeenk, who is cur- deal in my pre-adolescent not prohibit him from leadand I was worried about that. He's a kid right know him for a long time,"Smeenk added. "He said it would look really good on him rently seeking carding from years... But now that I've ing a happy and healthy now who can go one way or the other. Plus, lifestyle. he's just started. There's so much more to do. to have me go (to the Paralympics), but he Athletics Canada and other grown up and gained thinks it's not a good point sponsorships to offset the "It was for sure a big deal He did well (at nationals) in my career and it would costs of training, equipment more maturity, it really is in my pre-adolescent years. but he'll do so much better "Kids get the attitude that be better to wait off until and flights to international looking back on it and Everyone was going out with more coaching." this was easy, and I was Rio 2016." competitions. and throwing footballs at Thom speaks from saying `You are a rep worried about that. He's a And Smeenk is confirecess, and my friends experience. His son Curtis hockey player now, but Hereditary disease dent the opportunity to played rep hockey," Smeenk (who will compete at this kid right now who can go I'm developing to go to compete in the Paralympics Smeenk was born with said. "But now that I've year's Paralympics in one way or the other." will still be there in four spastic paraplegia, a heredi- the Paralympics.'" grown up and gained more wheelchair racing) made years. tary disease that causes promaturity, it really is looking the Canadian national Ken Thom, coach of local At the Canadian cham- gressive stiffness and contrac- Austin Smeenk back on it and saying `You sledge hockey team at the wheelchair racer Austin Smeenk pionships in Calgary, he tion (also known as spasticity) are a rep hockey player now, age of 15 but was apparbut I'm developing to go to the Paralympics'. ently soon overwhelmed by the magnitude of beat the Canadian record-holder in the 200- in the lower limbs. metre final by two-tenths of a second to win He's able to walk short distances, ride a "And I'm happy about that." it all. "(Curtis) excelled extremely fast, he was gold. He also won the 400m race and was bicycle to go further distances and even stand-up snoboard. Smeenk is also an active -- Jon Kuiperij can be followed essentially a prodigy," Smeenk said, recalling second in the 100m distance. Being ranked eighth in the world in the sledge hockey player, though he believes he on Twitter @Beaversports what he was told by his coach. "But when he T