ATHLETICS. After dazzling the Gallery at the Quebec Games, Etienne Rheault is preparing to participate in the Canada Games. Look at a story of courage and surpassing oneself.
Living with a congenital amputation of the forearm and the right hand, Étienne Rheault has continued to make progress since he practiced athletics. Standing up to the best athletes of his age in regular competitions, the young Drummondville 17-year-old recently discovered para-athletics, a discipline adapted to athletes living with a handicap.
Coach in the Drummondville athletics club and the Center-du-Québec delegation at the Quebec Games, Timothe Frémont is at the forefront of attending the exploits of Étienne Rheault.
“Etienne is a very dedicated, very structured person,” he said in an interview with L’Express. He is still in training. Regardless of the difficulty of training, he will always face it. He listens to the instructions. He is diligent, his business and persevering. These are really its main qualities. ”
During the Quebec Games held this week in Trois-Rivières, Étienne Rheault also set a Quebec record for the 400-meter test in the T47 category in para-athletics. With a time of 53.71 seconds, he improved his personal mark by almost a second. Among a contingent of 37 participants in the juvenile category, he rose in 14e position.
In the long jump, his 5.34 -meter leap allowed him to rank in 15e Position among the 32 athletes in competition. The representative of Center-du-Québec also took part in the 100-meter and 4 x 100 meters relay.
“His condition has never disturbed him,” said Timothe Frémont. He has done so much competition against completely normal people that for him, it makes no difference to run in regular or para categories. At the Canada Games, it will be the first time he will officially compete in the para category. ”
A first experience
Firstly, little inclined to practice para-athletics, Étienne Rheault has changed his rifle in recent months.
“This winter, he met a person who takes care of the para side within the Quebec Athletics Federation. Since then, he has been opening up a little more to that idea, “said Timothé Frémont.
Having obtained its qualification for Canada Games thanks to its performance on the Cups Excellence Quebec Cups, Étienne Rheault will notably be in action at the 400 -meter test in the T47 category. He will also throw the weight throwing and the discus of the disc, the tests where he uses his left arm. These games will take place in Saint-Jean de Terre-Neuve, from August 8 to 25.
“What he is targeting in Newfoundland first is a great first experience in the Quebec team. After that, the idea will be to improve its brand at 400 meters, ”said Timothé Frémont.
Born in China, Étienne Rheault was adopted by a Drummondville family when he was a year and a half. The young man has practiced several sports over the years, from soccer to bicycle via alpine skiing and fencing, in particular thanks to the use of a prosthesis.
In the longer term, could paralympic games become a career goal for Étienne Rheault?
“For the moment, he has not yet returned to his personal and sporting journey. This year, he really discovers the para. Right now, he saw the experience. In a year or two, we will see where it will take us. He will be able to decide if he wants to target the highest level in para-athletics, ”concluded Timothé Frémont.
The T47 category
In para-athletics, the T47 category is intended for athletes whose movements are limited due to a deficiency affecting one or two arms or the total or partial absence of an arm. The athletes in this category adapt to an asymmetrical balance of the upper body.
