Watch above: A Saskatoon para-athlete excelled at her last competition, breaking several world records. Aaron Streck catches up with her as she trains now for the Parapan Am games.
SASKATOON – Becky Richter has ramped up her training, as the Saskatoon product is pushing herself six days, 11 sessions a week.
“It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice, you basically live on a schedule,” said para-athlete Becky Richter.
In October of 2003, Richter was involved in a single vehicle rollover, which left her a quadriplegic. Her love of sport was renewed by wheelchair rugby in 2005, leading to track and field in 2007.
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“There was a lot of depression and everything, the first couple years were tough, I mean you’re adjusting, you’re learning how to do everything all over again but I had a lot of people, my coach for one,” said Richter. “They pushed me to start sports and get active again.”
And she hasn’t looked back taking the para-track world by storm. A couple of weeks ago in Switzerland, Richter broke four world records in wheelchair racing and set a new Canadian one in para-throwing. Arriving back in Saskatoon to a crowd of family and friends.
While she might not consider herself as a mentor or someone’s idol, Richter is setting an example for others.
“She goes into the City of Saskatoon rehab hospital and she meets new injuries and just recently, one of the injuries, this individual has actually come out and done some racing with Becky. So she doesn’t know it but she’s a huge inspiration to other para-athletes,” said Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association executive director Andrea Muir.
The 33-year-old will compete at nationals in Edmonton at the start of next month, with a chance to wear the red and white at the August Parapan Am Games in Toronto on the line.
“I grew up in a very sports minded family and during the Olympics and Paralympics my TV does not change channels, that is solely what I do and watch, so to have the opportunity to put on the jersey … words just can’t describe it,” says Richter.
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