http://digital.nationalpost.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

17 Sep 2008
 National Post
BY GARY KINGSTON
 Canwest News Service

 Petitclerc's final push good as gold

WINS 1,500 METRE 'She is one of the greatest Canadian athletes, period'


BEIJING . She has become the beaming face of the Paralympic movement in
Canada, raised its profile and captivated people with her amazingly powerful
push from the seat of a hightech racing chair. 

But as Chantal Petitclerc retires from Paralympic Games competition with a
stunning 10-race gold-medal streak, her long-time coach insists she should
be known as more than just the greatest Canadian Paralympic athlete. 

"I would say she is one of the greatest Canadian athletes, period," Peter
Eriksson said moments after showering Petitclerc with Chinese Champagne as
she rolled into the interview area yesterday after her final race at the
2008 Games. 

"We shouldn't separate Olympic and Paralympic. I'm much more for
appreciating what she has done in the [athletic] movement overall. She is a
role model for many athletes across Paralympic and Olympic sport." 

Petitclerc, a 38-year-old from Montreal who is leaving the track to
concentrate on road racing and marathons, won her fifth gold medal of the
Beijing Games on a rain-slicked track yesterday. She easily pulled away from
the field in the women's T54 1,500 metres. 

In an uncharacteristic move, she took her hands off her wheels about 15
metres from the finish line and threw her arms in the air, pumping her fists
a couple of times with a look of pure elation. 

"I never do that . but when I looked up a little and saw that I was on my
own, it was like a bonus," Petitclerc said. "I just felt like it was a gift
to finish it all alone. It was great. 

"For me, these were the best Games. The conditions were more difficult. The
schedule was a lot more challenging. We had the rain, we had the Chinese
athletes that came out surprising in the sprints. And the depth of the field
has grown. To be able to do the same things I did in Athens here in Beijing,
makes it much more special." 
The sweep of all five events for her class - T54 is for paraplegics with
full trunk mobility - came four years after she swept the same five events
in Athens. 

And she did it in Beijing, despite giving away nearly two decades in age to
some of her rivals. American Tatyana McFadden, who took silver in three
events, is only 19. 

"She's just such an amazing athlete . awesome," said Shelley Woods, 22, of
Great Britain, who was second yesterday. "She's done a fantastic job over
her career. She's probably one of my heroines." 

With access to top strength coaches, nutritionists and sport psychologists,
and the ability to spend the winter months training in Australia, Petitclerc
is always one of the best prepared athletes. But Eriksson says her true
strength is her incredible focus and determination. 

Petitclerc, who has 14 gold and 21 overall medals from five Paralympics, was
injured in a car accident at age 13. Two months later, she was in a swimming
pool. And at age 18, she fell hard for wheelchair racing. 

A long-time lottery show TV host and motivational speaker, Petitclerc says
she doesn't spend much time thinking about what her life might have been
like if she still had the use of her legs. 

"I know some people say it is the accident that changes you and makes you
stronger. I don't know, maybe it's me being the egocentric athlete, but I
tend to think I already had this strength and that's why I bounced off the
accident so quickly and in such a good way," she said. 

"I believe I had the strength and I would be doing something great. Maybe
not in front of the cameras, but I think I would have a good life anyways." 

 
Petitclerc broke her own world records in the 200metre and 800-metre events
at Beijing, and she also holds world marks for the 100, 400 and 1,500. 
 

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