Zachary Madell

Started: He began playing wheelchair rugby in 2011. (paralympic.ca, Sep 2016) Reason: He tried Para ice hockey and wheelchair basketball but found that his impairment meant he was unsuited to both sports. He was then recruited to wheelchair rugby, which he felt was a better fit. (paralympic.ca, Sep 2016; thestar.com, 02 Aug 2015) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Outside the sport he would like to work as an architectural technologist helping people with impairments. (paralympic.org, 16 Jul 2024) Milestones: He is one of five players [along with Patrice Dagenais, Trevor Hirschfield, Travis Murao and Mike Whitehead] named to Canada's 2024 Paralympic team that were also part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2012 Games in London. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: He received the 3.5 Best in Class award at the 2022 Canada Cup in Richmond, BC, Canada, the 2016 Canadian Championships in Montreal, Quebec, and the 2014 World Championships in Odense, Denmark. (worldwheelchair.rugby, 05 Jul 2022; sirc.ca, 30 May 2016; 2014wrwc.dhif.dk, 11 Aug 2014) He was Canada's flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada. (paralympic.ca, 01 Sep 2016) He was named Most Valuable Player [MVP] at the 2015 World Challenge in London, England, the 2014 World Championships in Odense, Denmark, and the 2014 Canada Cup. (paralympic.ca, 01 Sep 2016; 2014wrwc.dhif.dk, 11 Aug 2014) He was chosen as Alberta's flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, BC, Canada. (cwsa.ca, 20 Jan 2015) Additional Info: BREAK AND RETURN He took time away from the sport for nearly three years after the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and studied architectural technologies at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology [SAIT] in Calgary, AB, Canada. He decided that he wanted to return to the Canadian national team in time for the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. "Once I finished school I wanted to take some time off so I had something after rugby to fall back on and make sure I was prepared for life outside of rugby. But at the same time going to school and sitting at a desk for that long made me realise I wasn't ready to hang up the old skates for good. I wanted to go back and take one more shot at this. Now I think it puts my mind at ease knowing that if I injure myself or anything, I've got something beyond rugby to fall back on." (okotokstoday.ca, 04 Aug 2021; wheelchairrugby.ca, 01 Jan 2020; Twitter profile, 13 Mar 2017) OTHER ACTIVITIES He has served as an athlete ambassador for the Paralympic Foundation of Canada's 'Champions Journey' fundraising campaign. (activehands.com, 01 Sep 2015)