Once an avid athlete, Christa Akins was left paralyzed and wheelchair-bound after being struck by an SUV in 2017, changing her life forever. But her life forever changed again in 2019 when she went to the Canadian Paralympian Search and discovered the world of Paralympics.
Now, three years later, Akins is fundraising to compete in the Paralympic Qualifications in Switzerland. The hope is to secure a spot for Canada at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris after being the chosen Canadian nominated in April to compete.
Just over two weeks into the , which closes May 22, Akins is just under $6,000 shy of reaching her $14,000 to help cover the costs.
91裸聊视频淲hat I love about rowing is that my own strength turns into speed. I find that very exhilarating,91裸聊视频� she said.
No Canadian has competed in the 2,000 metre Paralympic rowing race, since the length changed from 1,000 metres to 2,000 in 2017.
Eight countries will compete at the qualifications, including Sweden, Denmark and Argentina, and only the gold medalist will go on to Paris for the August Paralympics.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 going to be the hardest race I91裸聊视频檝e ever done in my life because I91裸聊视频檓 up against very seasoned rowers,91裸聊视频� Akins said.
But Lisa Tschannen, manager of education, innovation and inclusion at Rowing British Columbia said Akins91裸聊视频� determination, persistence and passion make her 91裸聊视频渇ormidable as a racer.91裸聊视频�
The very idea of Akins becoming a Paralympian is thanks to a glimmer of hope when the Canadian Paralympian Search came to Kelowna in November 2019.
91裸聊视频淧eer-pressured91裸聊视频� by her supportive friends into going, Akins was still in physical rehab at the time and found the whole thing 91裸聊视频渋ntimidating.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淵ou can imagine mentally I was far away from sports but at the same time, I had always been an athlete all my life. I was in ballet when I was three years old and I was in gymnastics, into cycling, I did the Conquer Cancer Ride [Ride to Conquer Cancer],91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t was a piece of me that I thought I had lost forever, so it was really hard to watch other people do sports at a high level.91裸聊视频�
When Akins was struck by an SUV on July 5, 2017, she was cycling home at the time.
91裸聊视频淚 got to try different sports and a sports psychologist there said to me, 91裸聊视频楬ere are 11 sports I think you could qualify for. Your job is to try them all out and find your passion because it91裸聊视频檚 passion that will get you through the rough spots.91裸聊视频� And was she ever right,91裸聊视频� she added. 91裸聊视频淚t really opened my horizons and changed my life.91裸聊视频�
Akins chose basketball and tennis until March 2020, when COVID-19 shut down indoor activities.
91裸聊视频淚 struggled with everything being stripped away from me again after I had finally found my way again. So I started rowing when everything opened up.91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 was focusing on the things that I can do, and that was a huge life lesson for me.91裸聊视频�
Since then, rowing has been Akins91裸聊视频� passion.
91裸聊视频淚t was a lot more difficult than I thought and I looked terrible but I remember once I got the hang of moving the boat in the right direction, there was that one stroke that lifted the boat. I remember thinking, 91裸聊视频極h my gosh, I did that91裸聊视频� and I91裸聊视频檝e been chasing that perfect stroke ever since.91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲ith every stroke, I feel like all my worries and all my anxieties just fall away. It91裸聊视频檚 mystical when you91裸聊视频檙e in the fog and you see the sunrise and it91裸聊视频檚 like you get a second chance every day the sun comes up. You leave the wheelchair behind.91裸聊视频�
Akins was living in Kelowna but said she felt 91裸聊视频渋mprisoned91裸聊视频� when snow would take away her ability to be active. After being encouraged by her coach at the time, Martin George, to consider training with the national team in January 2022, she found her calling.
91裸聊视频淚n Victoria, I can handcycle, I can cross-train, and I love the team, the other Paralympian athletes. I just love that energy of being around other people who have goals and are ambitious. That91裸聊视频檚 who I am. So January 5 (2022), I packed my stuff. I filled up my van and I moved into a hotel.91裸聊视频�
What was meant to be a season turned into two years away from her husband, who still lives in Kelowna. Akins beat the Canadian time standard and won the gold medal at the National Championships and the Lagoa Rio Trophy for outstanding performance.
While training in Victoria, she calls the Kensington Retirement Residence home.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 totally accessible. They wash my floors, clean my bathrooms, which I struggle with, make my bed and provide me nutritious meals, which frees me up to focus on my training,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭he community here has been my absolute support system. They91裸聊视频檝e been cheering me on.91裸聊视频�
Also cheering her on are the supporters who have quickly rallied to collectively donate thousands of dollars.
Before becoming paralyzed, Akins was an avid runner, skier and cyclist who completed the Ride to Conquer Cancer from Vancouver to Seattle and was also a founder of P.E.A.C.E. in Mind, a society supporting families raising children with mental health and eating disorders.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e lost so much, my ability to walk, my health, and my children moved out [after graduation]. It was a really, really, really rough time,91裸聊视频� Akins said. 91裸聊视频淣ow I was the one that needed help and I91裸聊视频檝e never been in this situation. That was really hard for Miss Independent over here.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淪o how do I feel when I saw those numbers go up so quickly? I was deeply touched, very grateful. I91裸聊视频檝e got amazing friends, an amazing community.91裸聊视频�
As a PR1 rower, Akins races with pontoons. She has a fixed seat and a backrest which she is strapped to along with straps around her legs, hips and chest. The GoFundMe is partly to help pay for her coach, integral to her training and helping her get into the boat.
She also credits the Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club and their Para Rowing Program where she started, plus her past coach Martin George, and coaches Leanne Savage and Alec Stapff.
91裸聊视频淟eanne could no longer coach me for personal reasons. Alec stepped up to the plate and added to my skill set. And without him, none of this would91裸聊视频檝e been possible. Without his training, I wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have had my speed, and if he wasn91裸聊视频檛 available to take me to Switzerland, I would91裸聊视频檝e been without a coach to travel. Thank you Alec for all that you do for us.91裸聊视频�
She also has a message of hope for everyone out there - 91裸聊视频淩ecognize what you have control over and just live every day as if it was your last.91裸聊视频�
The final Paralympic Qualifications race will be streamed on .
Christa Akins91裸聊视频� GoFundMe can be found at .
