WINNIPEG — Matthew Wilton was born with spina bifida, but the spinal cord defect hasn’t stopped the 15-year-old from living the life of a busy athlete.
In addition to playing wheelchair basketball, swimming and para-track, Matthew is taking on the Manitoba Marathon for the first time.
“This is going to be my first marathon. I’m doing it with my team; I’m very excited.”
Matthew is joining a growing group of wheelchair athletes at the starting line on Father’s Day.
Executive Director of the Manitoba Marathon, Rachel Munday, said the event prides itself on being inclusive. She said in any given year, about a handful of wheelchair athletes take part.
In 2017, she saw a spike in that number. There were nearly 20 participants and about a dozen of them were from the Provincial Wheelchair Basketball Program.
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“One morning while jogging past the Manitoba Marathon in 2016, I had seen a wheelchair user out doing the marathon and a light bulb went off for me,” Head coach Jarrett Yaworski said.
The basketball coach first brought up the idea to his team in 2016. A group of them then signed up for the Half Marathon and the Super Run the following year.
For the 40th anniversary of the Manitoba Marathon, Coach Yaworski hopes even more para-athletes will take part.
“I thought that was a wonderful opportunity to allow those athletes a chance to compete against themselves in an event that was typically seen as only for able bodied athletes.”
Meanwhile, Matthew is gearing up for the big race with a helping hand from Colin Mathieson.
The four-time Paralympic wheelchair racer competed in his very first race at the Manitoba Marathon in 1989. He said that experience is what sparked his passion for racing.
WATCH: Paralympic athlete Colin Mathieson on Global News Morning
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