By Ian Ewing
LONDON – Patrice Dagenais brought home his first Paralympic medal on the final day of competition, only hours before attending a spectacular Closing Ceremonies featuring Coldplay, Rihanna, and Jay-Z. For “Pico”, as he’s known to his teammates, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream to compete at the highest levels of sport.
“I’m finally at the top,” the 27-year-old wheelchair rugby player said of competing at the Paralympic Games.
Dagenais’s Canadian wheelchair rugby team fell to an unbeaten Australian juggernaut 66-51 in the gold medal match on Sunday, Sept. 9. Canada was outclassed from the start against the tournament favourites, falling behind 18-11 after the first quarter.
But the most memorable match for the Canadian players and Paralympic fans alike was the semi-final one day earlier against the U.S. when they assured themselves of a medal. Canada exploded out of the gate to take a dominant 16-9 lead after eight minutes before hanging on for a heart-stopping 50-49 victory. The U.S. tied the game in the final minute, but a crucial turnover allowed the Canadians to run the clock out and score with 0.5 seconds remaining for the win and the berth in the gold medal game.
“It was a bit scary,” Dagenais admitted after his squad beat the U.S. in a match for the first time in eight years, dating back to the 2004 Athens Games. “But we had the momentum all throughout the game, and we were confident we could beat them. It was just a matter of executing.”
The Paralympic rookie received significant court time throughout the tournament, including over eight minutes in the final, as Canadian coach Kevin Orr sought to blunt the Australian attack with different looks. Although nothing Canada tried helped much, it was a vote of confidence for Dagenais in his debut on the sport’s biggest stage.
Praise from sport’s veterans
“To be a rookie, and play this many minutes – ice-cold,” stated veteran teammate Mike Whitehead. “He’s got ice in his veins. He deserves every minute he plays – he’s worked really hard.”
Garett Hickling, the second eldest player on the team and Canada’s Opening Ceremonies flag bearer, echoed that sentiment.
“They’ve definitely earned their spot,” he said of the young players on the team. “They’re very well composed.”
In fact, Dagenais had to earn his spot twice. The Embrun native was cut from his first stint with the national team in 2009, but took his disappointment and returned to the Ottawa Stingers, his local club, with redemption in mind. In 2011, he made it back to the top level.
“You can tell that it was actually a good thing that happened to him,” Whitehead observed. “Because he went out and worked harder, and he’s a phenomenal player. His stamina, his speed, and he’s a really, really bright guy. He’s a special athlete.”
Lift from enthralled Paralympic crowd
The squad had also lost to Australia in their opening game of the tournament, 64-52. Although they hoped to maintain their intensity and momentum from the U.S. game into the final, the powerful Australian squad proved too much, in spite of a crowd estimated at 12,000 fans, most of whom were cheering for Canada.
“I’ve never played in front of a crowd like this,” marvelled Dagenais, a former Jr. C hockey player who lost use of his legs after a construction accident at age 18. “It motivates me. I had a lot of energy out there.”
And after a taste of playing in that atmosphere, and at that level, the La Cité Collegiale business marketing grad is hungry for more.
“Obviously we wanted gold, but we got silver, and we’re happy,” Dagenais reflected, smiling down at the medal around his neck. “I loved this. There’s no way I’m quitting this sport right now!”