'It's been really exciting': Para-athlete the first to compete at ACAC event for Lethbridge College

Hunter Graves (right) practices with his coach Sydney Graves (left).

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. -

A member of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks indoor track team has made history for the school.

First-year student Hunter Graves competed in the mixed 300-meter dash wheelchair open at the Grand Prix in January as the first-ever para-athlete to take part in an ACAC event for the college.

“It’s been really exciting to start this journey and be somewhat of a trailblazer as there aren’t any other college athletes representing their schools the way I’ve had to opportunity to,” Hunter said.

Graves, who was born with Spina Bifida, began the sport in high school with his track and field team and in his senior year, made provincials before heading to the Canada Summer Games in 2017.

But after that, he took a step away from the chair before falling in love with the sport again a few years later.

“I found myself going to school at Lethbridge College and I asked my coach, now Sydney Graves who was a previous athlete for the Kodiaks, if there were options for para-athletes and she sent me to one of our other head coaches and we found a way to make it work,” he said.

In November, both Hunter and Sydney began to work together weekly.

“From then to now has been an uphill climb,” Sydney chuckled. “Because Hunter took a few years off we starting from kind of the beginning stages and have worked our way up from there.”

“He’s done incredibly,” she added. “We meet twice a week at the University of Lethbridge track to practice form, building speed, build his endurance and he also meets with the track team for strength training twice a week.”

Competitive since childhood, track isn't Hunter's only sport as he's also been on the Lethbridge Steamers Wheelchair Basketball team for the past 10 years.

“I think that it will show other people in other schools that there is a spot for them regardless of whatever disability they might have,” Hunter said.

While there are opportunities for para-athletes at the post-secondary level, Sydney hopes Hunter’s journey will grow the sport even more.

“I think it's great that Hunter can set this example for other para-athletes,” Sydney said. “We're kind of hoping that within the next few years, we can get some more para-athletes out to compete and to train.”

Hunter says it’s been a bit of an uphill battle for him as para-athletes competing in competitions aren’t well known in the ACAC division.

“There's a part of me that thinks I can't believe this isn't already done in a way because you hear about wheelchair sports, you hear about the Para-Olympics,” Hunter added. “Part of me was a little bit shocked not realizing that this was a big thing at the college or university levels.”

While Hunter still has two meets left this year, he's hoping his historic moment will give him and others momentum going forward.

“I would love nothing more than to have other athletes behind me,” he said.