WATERLOO -- Paralympic athletes from southern Ontario are preparing to represent Canada in Tokyo when the Games begin in two weeks.
Among them is swimmer Alec Elliot, who grew up in Kitchener and now lives in Quebec City.
"The Region of Waterloo Swim Club played a huge role in getting me involved in swimming as a sport and helped bring me from a guy who swam twice a week up until swimming nine times a week and competing at Olympic trials and all that fun stuff and becoming a National Champion," he said while attending a pre-Games camp in Vancouver.
Elliot will swim in four events.
Cambridge's Angela Marina, who trains in Brantford, will swim in five events at her first Paralympic Games. She's also currently at the Vancouver training camp.
"I'm super excited, like on Cloud 9 excited," she said.
Swimmer Zach Zona, originally from Waterford, is also making is Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo.
"Growing up as a kid watching other sports, including swimming, seeing the national team perform whether it's hockey, soccer, anything, it's always cool and to be able to wear that leaf beyond that team is very special," he said.
Two-time Paralympian and former gold-medalist Tyler Miller, who grew up in Kitchener and still lives in Waterloo Region, will be among those playing wheelchair basketball for Canada in Tokyo.
"We have a big sport community, growing up I played hockey, baseball," he said. "That push, that edge, that drive was instilled in me at a really young age and after I did get hurt and took up wheelchair basketball, it was really easy because you had all those basic skills."
The Paralympics begin on August 24.
A full list of southern Ontario Paralympic athletes can be found here.
