The idea of brutal weaning, i.e. abruptly stopping all forms of competition, is simply not feasible for someone who has spent the last 30 years of their life on the slopes.
“I won’t be able to stop immediately after Beijing,” he said Thursday. I’ve talked to some athletes like myself who have had long careers and those who have tried to quit smoking have not been able to. I’m going to learn a lesson from this, and I intend to slowly get out of the picture.
The visually impaired athlete plans to do a few more races over the next two years before taking on a full-time role as a mentor, possibly as a coach.
After 20 years on the international circuit, what he is most proud of is maintaining a sound mind all those years. It is often the head that gives way to the body in athletes who compete for a long time.
He said. That’s fine, because I feel like my body is going to give up before my head.
” Sports are stressful and challenging. Being outside in the cold, five hours a day, 365 days a year, with no other choice is tough. I’m proud to have been able to do this for 20 years, balancing time on the road with time at home. I managed to maintain a good state of mind, which I am proud of. »
Brian McIver is already guaranteed to retire and leave his name in the history books of the Paralympic movement. With 17 medals, he is the most decorated Canadian athlete in Winter Games history. He’s not far behind Chantal Petit Clerc, who won 21 at the Summer Games.
Albertans also pride themselves on looking at how far he’s come. In 2010, he became the first Canadian athlete selected to represent the country at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
My first healthy world championship was in 2007 in Sapporo
He remembers. Being a 27-year-old freshman was still special. But my experience as a Paralympian has helped me a lot to skate well. I was afraid that I was the blind man who would cause a huge mass buildup! In the end, there was a lot of clashes, but I was the only Canadian to finish the match.
Brian McIver was named to the Canadian Olympic team in 2010. At the Vancouver Games, he finally settled for a backup role.
Photo: Reuters/Todd Korroll
With 15 gold medals, he will have the opportunity to make history again on Friday. If he wins the individual race, it would equal the men’s Winter Games record set by Gerd Schoenefelder in 2010.
Serene, the Calgary athlete, stresses that he does not pay attention to the overall weight of his medal load when leaving China.
With his mentor Russell Kennedy, he treats this race like any other. He said he would be exhausted as always. We have work to do. We waited four years to do this. We have been paid for four years. My interest is focused on that.
” My goal is not to win, but to give my best. Sometimes you have a good day and you lose. Other times you have a bad day and you win. »
What matters to me is having a good day at work. I cannot control the performance of others. There is no end result that depends on one individual
Philosophically adds.
Brian McIver will compete in the men’s singles final Friday night at 9 p.m. EST. He will defend the colors of Canada for the last time in the Paralympic stage during the mixed relay show on Sunday evening.
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