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Kelowna  

Locals prepare for Rio

Kelowna’s Tristan Smyth has always been passionate about sports, but when a downhill longboarding accident broke his back in 2011, his future in athletics looked grim.

Now, five years later, 29-year-old Smyth is preparing to head south for the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where he is set to compete in the 4 x 400 metre wheelchair relay race.

“It took me about a year to learn to balance and walk, I don’t have full muscle function in my leg,” Smyth said. “I have no push with my feet, so I can’t run or jump, and without running or jumping, I got into wheelchair sports to stay active.”

Smyth, and another of Kelowna’s Olympic-hopefuls, James Turner, were out at a packed Stuart Park Wednesday afternoon, where the community gathered to recognize the athletes' achievements and send them on their way to Rio.

Eight local athletes are expected to make their way down to Rio this summer, but many are currently scattered throughout the world, training for their big day this summer.

Twenty-two-year-old Turner, who competes in the decathlon, has one last chance to qualify for the Olympic Games in August.

The point system used to score decathlon events will determine if he qualifies or not.

“I’m still looking to get that qualifying mark, which is 8,100 (points), so I’m about 300 points away,” Turner said. “I have one more opportunity, so I’m flying over to Moncton next week, that’ll be my last chance.”

Turner injured his hamstring in his last competition two weeks ago, so he has been working on getting healthy for his one last opportunity.

“I'm looking to get back to 100 per cent, and if I can do that, I’m very confident I can reach those marks that I need,” he said.

Turner spoke at the event in Stuart Park Wednesday, addressing the many 2016 BC Summer Games participants who were in attendance.

“I participated in the BC Summer Games in 2008 … and it was amazing,” he said. “It was an enormously important event in my life now that I look back on it … I got hooked after that and it really motivated me to continue track and field.”

Turner’s final competition for Olympic qualifying takes place on July 9 and 10. Smyth, meanwhile, heads to national trials next week in Edmonton, where the final Olympic team will be announced on July 11.

“I’ve got to feel confident, for sure, but you never want to count anybody out,” he said. “There’s a couple guys on the bubble that are doing well, that could push a few of us off the team, so I’ve just got to show up and make sure we’re on top.”

Despite some athletes raising health concerns over Brazil's Zika virus, including Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, both Turner and Smyth said they are focusing on the athletics side of things.

“I haven’t even thought about it to be honest,” said Turner. “I’m just trying to punch my ticket there and then take it from there.”

“Cautiously optimistic,” Smyth said. “That’s a good way of putting it.”



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