Wheelchair racers are right on winning track
A group of young track athletes took to the starting line in Eugene Sunday morning, with an eye on a future in international competition.
In many ways, 14-year-old Kanya Sesser is no different from other girls her age: she likes to dance, play sports, and try new things like surfing and snowboarding.
Kanya does all this, however, in spite of the fact that she was born without legs.
"Nothing slows Kanya down," says Kanya's mom, Jane. "Whatever she wants to do, she does. And occasionally if there's something she can't do, she'll ask for help, but she's very independent and likes to do her own thing."
One of those things is this wheelchair track meet, where racers from all around the northwest gathered at Sheldon High School on Sunday to compete against their peers.
Last year at nationals, Kanya won four bronze medals, and in fact, many of these athletes have won medals in national and world competition. But some have set their sights even higher.
"Yeah," says Brandon Caswell of Pendleton, "I'd like to go to the Olympics in 2008, in Beijing."
Caswell won a silver medal in the relay at the World Paralympic Championships last summer -- a result that's earned his relay team a trip to the Paralympics in '08.
But when the able-bodied track community takes the starting line, in Beijing for the Summer Olympics in 2008, there will be a wheelchair heat of the 1500 meters -- and Caswell wants to be there.
"Guys in wheelchairs, you know, I want to inspire them, but I want to inspire people to get out and get those kids involved," Caswell says. "Because without any push, you know, I didn't come out and do it myself, I had to get pushed to do it. And hopefully we inspire coaches from track teams to get out there and get those kids involved. That's what it's all about."
At the local level, for now, the kids can compete in exhibition races for their high schools; but their performances aren't recorded, and they don't count in the final score.
"The kids really want to be able to score points for their teams, they want to be a part of the team," says coach Kevin Hansen of World Wheelchair Sports. "They want to be able to get on the bus, and they want to be able to go to the track meets, just like everyone else. That's what we're really trying to work on."
"Yeah, I would totally do that," Kanya Sesser agrees. "I want to try out for tennis, because I've played tennis for like a couple of years, and I want to try out track also."
And who are we to doubt her?
A group of these racers will go to Atlanta in June for the US national trials. The best of that meet will then go on to the Pan-American Games in Brazil in August.
In many ways, 14-year-old Kanya Sesser is no different from other girls her age: she likes to dance, play sports, and try new things like surfing and snowboarding.
Kanya does all this, however, in spite of the fact that she was born without legs.
"Nothing slows Kanya down," says Kanya's mom, Jane. "Whatever she wants to do, she does. And occasionally if there's something she can't do, she'll ask for help, but she's very independent and likes to do her own thing."
One of those things is this wheelchair track meet, where racers from all around the northwest gathered at Sheldon High School on Sunday to compete against their peers.
Last year at nationals, Kanya won four bronze medals, and in fact, many of these athletes have won medals in national and world competition. But some have set their sights even higher.
"Yeah," says Brandon Caswell of Pendleton, "I'd like to go to the Olympics in 2008, in Beijing."
Caswell won a silver medal in the relay at the World Paralympic Championships last summer -- a result that's earned his relay team a trip to the Paralympics in '08.
But when the able-bodied track community takes the starting line, in Beijing for the Summer Olympics in 2008, there will be a wheelchair heat of the 1500 meters -- and Caswell wants to be there.
"Guys in wheelchairs, you know, I want to inspire them, but I want to inspire people to get out and get those kids involved," Caswell says. "Because without any push, you know, I didn't come out and do it myself, I had to get pushed to do it. And hopefully we inspire coaches from track teams to get out there and get those kids involved. That's what it's all about."
At the local level, for now, the kids can compete in exhibition races for their high schools; but their performances aren't recorded, and they don't count in the final score.
"The kids really want to be able to score points for their teams, they want to be a part of the team," says coach Kevin Hansen of World Wheelchair Sports. "They want to be able to get on the bus, and they want to be able to go to the track meets, just like everyone else. That's what we're really trying to work on."
"Yeah, I would totally do that," Kanya Sesser agrees. "I want to try out for tennis, because I've played tennis for like a couple of years, and I want to try out track also."
And who are we to doubt her?
A group of these racers will go to Atlanta in June for the US national trials. The best of that meet will then go on to the Pan-American Games in Brazil in August.
