August 31, 2004

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is pleased to profile some of Canada's top medal hopes leading to the Paralympic Games September 17-28. Today we profile Jessica Matassa, track and field, from Old Castle, Ont., a suburb of Windsor.

Wheelchair racer Jessica Matassa looks for international breakthrough at Paralympic Games

Jessica Matassa gravitated from a sledge hockey background to track and field during her early high school days at St. Thomas of Villanova, in the suburbs of Windsor, Ontario. Living in nearby Old Castle, the 18-year-old is seeking more world-class results in the 200, 400 and 800m events in future international competitions, including her first Paralympics in Athens.

Her portfolio includes wheelchair times of 31.2s in the 200m, 58.8s in the 400m and 1min 59s in the 800m.

Since childhood, she has lived with spina bifida, which limits movement in her legs. Her upper-body strength, however, is evident in the tremendous power she puts into the chair. Being stronger but shorter than many of her opponents, she says she needs to find more stroke efficiencies to improve her start.

Matassa aspires to study biochemistry at the University of Windsor, the home of masters-degree student and her coach, Dave Greig. He and her training partner, Jeff May, have been major motivators, as have her parents, Frank and Wendy.

"I applaud the way they raised me," she says, pointing to how some parents overly protect their disabled children. Her parents popped a training wheel on her bike and off she went at the age at six.

Two years ago in Lille, France -- at her first world championships -- she reached the finals of the 100, 200 and 400m events, with a best showing of sixth in the 400m. Those results, she says, opened up a lot of doors and have her looking for more world-class results.

"I've always been really competitive," she says.

"My goals were always to do what I wanted to do, and I just wanted to be like everyone else, and not to think that I'm disabled or have something to prove," adds the teenager, who also loves music.

A big fan of Harry Connick Jr. and Elton John, she plays piano, guitar, trumpet, drums and flute. Looking at her lifestyle, which includes 5 a.m. winter high-school swim team workouts and training 11 months of the year, she says there's not much she would change.

Athletics has been part of the Paralympic Games since their inception in 1960. Athletics draws the largest number of competitors and has the largest number of events. Athletics events are open to all athletes in all disability classes. Athletes compete in the following events at the Paralympic Games: track, throwing and jumping.

The Paralympic Games are the largest multi-sport event for athletes with a physical disability. The 2004 Paralympic Summer Games run from September 17-28 in Athens, Greece. The Canadian team numbers 144 athletes from all 10 provinces who will compete in 13 of the 19 sports on the Games program.

Reprinted with permission