Sports have a unique of deeply captivating an audience.
Watching something unfold in the arena or stadium, on television, or listening on the radio imagining the scene and grasping at the magnitude of what is happening.
Sports at its best is pure drama.
So many times you hear the words, if this were a movie script even Hollywood wouldn鈥檛 buy it, that is the greatness and unpredictability of sports in a nutshell.
The athletes that create those moments are the epitome of the struggle and hard work it takes to be the best at something.
Those athletes include Jesse Owens and his four gold medals at 1936 Olympics and Muhammed Ali, one of the greatest boxers in history, whose career cost him dearly later in life.
The list is endless, from World Cup heroes like Pele and Diago Maradonna, to baseball stars from years past like Ruth, Williams, Ripken, Koufax and Griffey Jr., to Bobby Orr and Guy Lafleur and perhaps, the most recognizable sports superstar, someone who not only conquered his sport, but the business world too, Michael Jordan.
Then there are athletes that are neither rich, or famous, but still have the ability once every four years to burst onto the scene and capture our imaginations, only to fade to the background, until given the opportunity once again, to shine on the world鈥檚 biggest stage.
I鈥檓 of course talking about our Olympic athletes not named Crosby, Doughty or Price.
I鈥檝e had the opportunity to meet such an athlete.
This young man, from 亚洲天堂 Lake, has battled back from so much in his life, and work so hard that he is on the precipice of his sport.
His name is Kyle McMahon, he鈥檚 a para-swimmer that suffers from cerebral palsy, and he鈥檚 on the verge of competing for his country at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
I met him while going to university, I was in my final year of journalism school, and was lucky enough to write a profile on him for the school newspaper.
He had just got back from the Paralympic Trials, where despite setting a Canadian record in the 100 m butterfly event, he missed going to London.
To say I was impressed with him is an understatement.
Here is someone that is an elite athlete, and trains accordingly, while going to school full-time to complete his bachelors degree in technology.
He is physically imposing, barrel chested and broad shouldered from hours spent in the weight room and in the pool..
Now, four years after his heartbreak of missing the games in London, he鈥檚 about to compete for his shot in Rio.
I can only imagine what representing your country on a world stage is like, something that he has done on many occasions, including the 2009 and 2010 Paralympic World Swimming Championships, and at the 2011 Para-Pan Pacific Championships.
Since I鈥檝e arrived in this community, I鈥檝e heard about the resiliency of the people here, especially in the wake of the mill fire.
Kyle is someone that embodies that resiliency.
He has fought back from so much to be on the cusp of the biggest stage in his sport.
He is someone that has earned our support.
