Maxime-Valérie Olivier
In my opinion, the pursuit of one’s dreams is a big intrinsic motivation that we all need for self-fulfillment. My quest consists in participating in the 2012 London Paralympic Games. In fact, I am a high level swimmer and for four years I have had the deepest desire of accomplishing such a challenge, namely being part of the most prestigious competition in the world.
During the 2004 Athens Games I realized the scope of these competitions after taking part in two provincial games. The self satisfaction that comes after reaching such performances can only be synonymous with perfect happiness… And this is what pushed me to persevere. My determination took me this year to the swimming tryouts for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. Fortunately, I realized there that my dream was not only realistic, but also very palpable.
At the moment, I am the only swimmer in my category (S3) in Canada to have met national standards. In fact, the vast majority of high level swimming athletes is in classes above me, from S5 to S13.
Obviously my life choices principally revolve around the practice of my sport. It is essential for me to think about reaching my objective with every movement, thought and choice I make. Some may find these sacrifices hard to endure, however I find so much accomplishment in it.
Every little gesture of everyday life brings me closer to my goal and reassures me in my ascent towards victory… my victory over myself and my disease.
At the same time I study full time at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in community recreation and leadership training. My dearest dream as a student in this program is to make wheelchair sports recognized as being practiced by real athletes who are as determined as everybody else. In order to facilitate the combination of training and studying I swim a few times a week with the Spartiates Club in my college. It avoids me some travelling around and lets me have more time for my studies. Otherwise I train at Montreal’s Joseph-Charbonneau Pool 5 days a week for 2-hour periods of regular training that includes exercises outside and inside the water.
In order to fill up my days and to complete water training I practice bodybuilding once a week at the gym. Since sport is now my reason to live I regularly practice a few other disciplines such as alpine and cross-country skiing, indoors hockey and volleyball, but I don’t compete in them however.
During the last 4 years I had to overcome the drawbacks of living with serious injuries. Injuries that are common to all degenerative diseases but also injuries suffered by a body lacking coordination and constantly repeating specific movements it didn’t learn during practice. Firstly I had to face reflex sympathetic dystrophy, which forced me to consume a lot of medications in order to put my nervous system to sleep as it was in a constant state of pain. Not very pleasant and long to heal… Then I tore my left triceps and finally got a tendonitis in my right biceps. Despite my multiple injuries I have never really stopped swimming, even though the specialists advised me to take a break.
I can affirm that regularly practicing some sort of sport is surely salutary and announces better days to come during our entire life. Practicing a sport intensively forces us to take care of our health, whether it is at risk or not. A healthy and balanced diet is most important for supporting a better health. Knowing how to avoid the traps of malnutrition helps me a lot in my fight against Friedreich’s ataxia and its degeneration. If we are what we eat, then I preach balance. Avoiding great deprivations is as important as banning certain bad nutrition habits. A good diet is good for the body but also for the mind, which supports our entire being every day.
To conclude I will never be able to imagine stopping swimming for whatever reason there might be. This sport has been my passion for five marvellous years and they are only the promising beginning of the realisation of my dream: the 2012 Paralympic Games. I know that I will make it because I sincerely believe to work hard enough and be determined enough to live the consecration of my dream.
« Dare to dream! Nothing is impossible! »
YIP PINXIU, Singapore
The world’s best swimmer in my category