Celebration Wall opened for incredible Calgary Paralympian competing in Tokyo

CALGARY -

If you want to help cheer on one of Calgary's most inspiring athletes competing at the Tokyo Paralympics, an installation in the East Village is made to do just that.

The Celebration Wall depicts 33-year-old Paralympian cyclist Kate O'Brien and includes a bench to help you pose for pictures.

The idea is to share photos on social media to help cheer her on at the Tokyo Games — running Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 — where there are no fans in the stands.

Her personal road to the Games is marked with triumph and a tragedy.

O'Brien came close to competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics, only to be sidelined by injury. She was the world record holder in cycling's 500m sprint going into the Rio Olympics.

But a serious crash during training nearly took her life. She was following a pace motorcycle in Calgary's velodrome when her back tire burst, causing her to lose control of her bike.

"She crashed into the motorbike and went straight up in the air and landed on her head," said Beth Smith O'Brien, Kate's mother and a retired emergency room nurse.

"It was thought she wasn't going to make it."

She was in a coma with multiple injuries and significant head trauma. Doctors warned she may not walk again. But within a few months she was back on her bike and working.

Former national bobsleigh teammate Chris Spring, himself a three-time Olympian working to qualify for this winters Beijing games, says her dedication has always been clear to her fellow athletes.

"Kate is such a hard worker and always comes with a smile on her face too," said Spring.

"I'm just super stoked that she's over there and has the ability to represent Canada and do her best."

He says the Olympics can be surprisingly lonely for athletes, and the sight of a family member or even a Canadian flag in the crowd can give them a little extra push that can make a difference.

"Every little bit counts and I'm sure that the support here that we're doing today is really going to help Kate get across the line," said Spring.

The wall is one of six across the country, each dedicated to a different hometown athlete. The installations are paid for by Canadian Tire which also donated $10,000 to Winsport's Female Sport Development Programs.

O'Brien is scheduled to compete in Tokyo on Thursday in the C4 500m cycling event.