麻豆社区

The inspirational story of wheelchair racer Jessica Frotten added another chapter this week.

The 27-year-old Whitehorse native was named to the 35-person Canadian team that will compete at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championships in Doha, Qatar, next month.

The team includes many of the medallists from the recent Parapan Am Games in Toronto.

鈥淚t still hasn鈥檛 quite sunk in yet,鈥� said Frotten of the news. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty big deal. I was training like I was going to make the team, but you never know. There鈥檚 no guarantees in life.

鈥�(Worlds) was always my goal, even through the Parapan Ams, worlds was the big competition this year and the team I most wanted to make.鈥�

It hasn鈥檛 yet been six years since Frotten was paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash near the Yukon capital.

Ever since that life-changing moment, Frotten has pushed forward, inspiring an entire territory in the process.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 really think about it a whole lot,鈥� she said of the crash, which was followed by a lengthy court case.

鈥淏ut if you had have asked me five years ago if I was going to be on the senior team competing for Canada?鈥圱hat me would have never ever thought that the me now would exist.

鈥淚 think the reason I have come so far is I have an incredible support system. My family and friends 鈥� the Yukon has been with me the whole way. Ever since day one, there鈥檚 been an outpouring of support for me and my family.

鈥淚t may just be me out on the track, but it鈥檚 all that support that鈥檚 gotten me there. It鈥檚 really hard to fall when you鈥檝e got so many backing you.鈥�

Frotten, who now lives in Regina, will compete in the 100-, 200-, 400- and 800-metre events.

Her aim at worlds is to break the one-minute barrier in the 400.

鈥淭hat would just make my whole season,鈥� she said.

Frotten鈥檚 coach with the Saskatoon Cyclones, Rick Reelie, isn鈥檛 counting his up-and-coming 麻豆社区out of Canada鈥檚 medal hopes.

鈥淥ur goal realistically is to make some finals,鈥� he told the Star today.

鈥淏ut once you鈥檙e in a final, anything can happen. Our main focus is to build upon what she achieved so far this year and last. ... (But) every meet that Jessica goes to, she keeps excelling, and she is excelling at a little bit higher rate than the average athlete would.鈥�

Frotten鈥檚 mental fortitude and natural abilities have fuelled her rapid rise, Reelie said.

鈥淚f there鈥檚 an obstacle in front of her, she just looks past it,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he just seems to be the kind of girl that when she decides she wants to do something, that鈥檚 it.鈥�

Frotten鈥檚 also athletically gifted, said Reelie. She seemed to learn the technical sport of wheelchair racing with ease.

鈥淚t is a very high-end, elite sport,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 go very far if you don鈥檛 have some kind of talent. ... She just picked it up right away.鈥�

The two continue to train together on weekends in Saskatoon, though Reelie said his hope is Frotten one day moves to the area so they can train more often.

For now, Frotten hopes her showing at the world championships will propel her further onto Canada鈥檚 Paralympic Games radar.

That event is set for Rio de Janeiro in Sept. 2016. The athletics team is expected to be named after nationals next year.

Meanwhile, the 2015 world championships will take place Oct. 21 to 31. Frotten said she and the team will head to neighbouring Dubai Oct. 12 to get accustomed to the heat.

The last IPC worlds were held in France two years ago.

There, Canada won 15 medals 鈥� including seven gold. Nineteen national records were also established.

Athletics Canada will be looking for even more in Qatar, said head coach Peter Eriksson.

鈥淭he team鈥檚 objectives are to put more athletes into finals, win more total medals and win more gold medals than at the last IPC worlds,鈥� he said.