Adaptive rowing champion, Paralympic athlete and Sudbury native Steve Daniel, a retired sergeant with the Royal Canadian Regiment, will shed some light on his experiences Aug. 2 at Science North.

Daniel will be in the lobby at the entrance to Body Worlds Vital from 6-9 p.m., greeting visitors and sharing his story.

Daniel served with the Royal Canadian Regiment for 14 years. In 2005, after four tours of duty, he was stationed in Petawawa as the chief parachute instructor. During a routine free-fall jump, Daniel was unable to slow his decent, and landed improperly. The impact fractured his T-11 vertebrae, paralyzing him from the waist down, according to a news release from Science North.

After several months of rehabilitation, Daniel became involved in Canadian Forces Soldier On, an organization that promotes an active lifestyle in soldiers. Through this, he took up adaptive basketball, and eventually adaptive rowing. Participating in team sports was not only beneficial physically, but provided him with connection to other military personnel that were adapting to similar injuries.

Daniel took his rowing interest to a new level when he won gold at the 2008 Canadian Indoor Rowing Championship. He set a record for his category, which propelled him into global rowing competitions. In that same year, he earned a gold medal in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, and a silver medal at the U.S. Nationals. Daniel earned status as a Canadian Paralympian in the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing China, where he placed 11th in the men’s single sculls ASM1x.

Today, Daniel is attending the Northern Ontario School of Medicine with a goal of practising family and sports medicine. Although he has officially retired from competitive rowing, Daniel continues to enjoy many sports including wheelchair basketball and curling.

Science North encourages residents to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from an inspiring athlete, as well as have the chance to see some Paralympic memorabilia up close in the main lobby at Science North.

Visitors can meet Daniel free of charge, and are encouraged to also visit Body Worlds Vital between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Posted by Laurel Myers