Olympian Malindi Elmore and Paralympian Robert Shaw were recognized for their achievements at Kelowna City Council on Oct. 7.
Both athletes competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Elmore finished 35th in the women’s marathon on a gruelling course during high temperatures.
“If anyone happened to catch it you’ll see some athletes made it look easy, but it was definitely one of the most difficult races I’ve ever run,” Elmore said.
She added when things got tough during the race she would think about the support that got her to Paris.
“I was running on those good vibes as much as I could. It wasn’t the same performance I had in Japan (2020 Tokyo Games) unfortunately, but it was definitely the same effort.”
She said she is lucky to have grown up in Kelowna with many sporting opportunities through the school system, adding she will continue to give back.
“I’m concerned that some children aren’t getting the opportunities to be active and that there are a lot of barriers to sport now. When it’s a matter of rent and groceries or putting your kids in sports you know what’s going to get cut.”
Elmore is involved with many community organizations as well as KidSport Canada.
Competing in the 2028 Los Angeles is a possibility she added, but she’s also passionate about coaching.
“If I can help build the sport that way I’m also happy to pass it along.”
Robert Shaw competed in wheelchair tennis at the Paralympic Games in Paris, losing in the quarter-final round to world number two player Niels Vink of the Netherlands. Shaw, who also participated in Tokyo in 2020, is currently ranked 7th in the world.
He said there was a marked difference between the Tokyo games, during the COVID lockdown, and his experience in Paris.
“I was wanting to play in front of people, have my family there, mingle with other athletes from different countries, learned about their struggles and how they overcome things in their lives.”
Shaw grew up in Northern Ontario but moved to Kelowna nearly four years ago to complete a PhD in Kinesiology, and plans to stay.
“Mainly because it’s a stable city for me,” he said. “Where I live and the people around me are extremely supportive.”
Shaw said he will not be competing at the next Paralympic Games.
“I’ll definitely play for the next year. There are goals I still want to accomplish on the ITF Tour (International Tennis Federation) that I haven’t been able to do yet.”
He added he looks forward to applying his knowledge and skills learned through schooling to more use.
Shaw and Elmore were presented with watercolours by local artist Irina Bakumenko of their home training grounds. Shaw’s is at the Okanagan Mission Tennis Club, and Elmore’s is at the Apple Bowl.
The two athletes, along with Olympic gold medal sprinter Jerome Blake who was recognized at council’s Sept. 23 meeting, will be honoured at Kelowna’s 50th Annual Civic Awards in April 2025.
