St. Albert’s Reid Maxwell has made history by winning his first Paralympic medal at the Tokyo Games. The 25-year-old para-swimmer took home the bronze in the men’s 100-metre backstroke S9 event on Monday.
Maxwell, who was born with cerebral palsy, described the experience as “surreal” and a dream come true. He said he was overwhelmed with emotions as he stood on the podium and saw the Canadian flag being raised.
“It’s something I’ve been working towards for a long time and to finally achieve it is just an incredible feeling,” Maxwell said in an interview with CTV News.
The young athlete has been swimming competitively since the age of 10 and has been a member of the Canadian Para Swimming team since 2016. He credits his coaches, teammates, and family for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout his journey.
Maxwell’s bronze medal win is a significant achievement for Canada, as it marks the country’s first medal in para-swimming at the Tokyo Paralympics. His time of 1:01.50 was just 0.01 seconds behind the silver medalist, making it a close race.
“I knew it was going to be a tough race, but I just focused on my own race and gave it my all,” Maxwell said.
The young para-athlete has two more events to compete in at the Tokyo Games, the 100-metre freestyle and the 200-metre individual medley. He hopes to continue his success and bring home more medals for Canada.
Maxwell’s achievement is a testament to the determination and resilience of para-athletes, who overcome physical challenges to compete at the highest level. His win is also a source of inspiration for others with disabilities, showing that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.
Congratulations to Reid Maxwell on his historic Paralympic medal win. Canada is proud of you and we look forward to cheering you on in your future events.
