Noah Vucsics

Started: He took up athletics at age 10. (athletics.ca, 01 Jan 2021) Reason: "I started doing some track and field with my sister when I was 10 years old. I was injured and had knee surgery and after that I didn't really want to return to running. I was always jumping over garbage cans growing up so [when] my parents saw that, they told me to get back into track and try long and high jump. I was in a paced learning programme - for students with intellectual and learning disabilities - and my teacher noticed how I liked jumping over things and convinced [me] to join long jump in grade 11. After placing third at a local championship, I started training with CALTAF [Calgary Track and Field Athletic Association]. Through conversations with the coach at that club, they found out I was in pace learning and that I had an intellectual impairment, and they discussed the possibility that I might be eligible for Para athletics and we started the process of registering and figuring out if I was. In February 2020 I received final confirmation that I was eligible." (Petro-Canada Facebook page, 13 Aug 2022; athletics.ca, 01 Jan 2021) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (athletics.ca, 22 Nov 2023)