Spirit in Motion: The Power of the Paralympics

The 2026 Paralympic Games in Paris are beginning, and excitement for accessibility in sports for all abilities is on the rise. The paralympic symbol of red, green, and blue Agitos (from the Latin meaning, “I move”) swirl around a central point, representing the Paralympic Motto, “Spirit in Motion”. This focus on continual, unwavering movement conveys the strong will of the paralympians, inspiring the rest of the world to always move forward and never give up.

The Paralympic Games are held every four years alongside the Olympics. The paralympics originated as the Stoke Mandeville Games, first hosted in London in 1948, where injured WWII veterans competed in archery in their wheelchairs. These games grew, and were later renamed the Paralympic Games (Para meaning ‘alongside’ in Greek) with the first official international gathering in Rome 1960, featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries alongside the Olympics. To ensure fair competition, athletes are grouped by the degree of their activity limitation based on their impairment. This year, the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony is March 6th, with athletes having traveled to Paris to compete in the elite, high-performance events for physical, visual, and select intellectual disabilities.

Through the inspiration of local paralympians that have come before us, including Payden Vair and Zack McAllister, accessible opportunities are gaining support as people of all abilities seek to move and never give up. Here in Lethbridge, there is a diverse range of opportunities for all abilities just waiting to be explored, from curling to goalball, from basketball, to bowling. These are just a few possibilities of pursuing the “Spirit of Motion” within our hometown.

Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair basketball is played across the globe, as over 100 countries compete. One of the most popular paralympic sports, this adaptive team sport pushes athletes to new heights as they maintain the same rules of basketball but add in the unique parameters of the athletes’ wheelchairs, creating a fast-paced game. The Lethbridge Wheelchair Basketball Association proudly supports the Lethbridge Steamers as our local team. The Steamers play in tournaments around Alberta, focusing on athlete development and community growth, while inspiring the next generation to never give up.

Boccia

The Lethbridge Powerchair Sports organizes the opportunity to play the paralympic sport of Boccia, where athletes throw, kick, or use assistive devices to get soft, leather balls as close as possible to a white target ball called the jack. This paralympic, inclusive, sitting sport provides a space for anybody to join, bringing our community together through engagement and joy. This local community group provides inclusive and accessible sports for all levels of mobility, as they also host hockey and soccer in a competitive league from around Southern Alberta using powerchairs specially equipped for the sports.

Wheelchair Curling

Lethbridge is a major Canadian hub for curling and boasts the opportunity for wheelchair curlers to participate in this paralympic sport! Hosted by the Lethbridge Curling Club, athletes with wheelchairs can join the wheelchair curling league to take the ice to throw the rocks toward the target. With no sweeping allowed, the precision of this sport increases, and the stone can be delivered by hand/arm release or by using a specifically designed delivery stick that uses a bracket to fit over the handle of the stone.

Goalball

A paralympic game exclusively for athletes with vision-impairment, this sport is 3vs3 with a large net, blindfolds, and a ball with bells in it to orient the players. Throwing the ball towards the goal, the defending team can throw their bodies in front of the ball to keep it in play, and must react quickly to throw the ball back at the other team’s net in an effort to score. This fast-paced game is supported by Kin in the Kommunity and Alberta Sports and Recreation Association for the Blind, enabling low-vision and blind athletes to get active. Community members without a vision impairment are invited to participate and support the athletes in enhancing their game.

Para-Cycling

Adapting bicycles to the individual’s needs, para-cycling opens up new avenues to be active. Athletes with physical or visual impairments can find the right fit for them, ranging from bicycles, tricycles, tandems, or handcycles. Inspired by local athlete Lowell Taylor who went to the Parapan American Games on the pathway towards the Paralympics, athletes can test the limits of what they thought possible. Community members can make use of the scenic bike routes around Lethbridge, riding through Bull Trail Park, Legacy Park, and Nicolas Sheran Park with space for any adaptive cycling equipment. Through getting in touch with the local Tetra Society or Calgary’s Adapted Cycle, athletes can access bikes suited to their needs.

Lethbridge further offers a wide range of inclusive sports that, although they do not feature at the Paralympics yet, are still fun and accessible options for people to join!

Boxing

Those living with Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or a movement disorder can punch back at Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing. Surrounded by a supportive community, those opting for a fun way of improving health and getting active can try boxing! These fitness classes promote improvement of fine and large motor impairments that improves quality of life. Supported by research, the maintenance of strength, mobility, and flexibility alleviates the severity of their Parkinson’s disease ^1 and brings fun, movement and joy to our community.

Blind Bowling

Within Lethbridge there is a bowling league that centres around those with low vision or blindness, providing an engaging and adaptive opportunity for fun and competitive bowling experience. Supported by specialized equipment like guide rails and sighted assistants, players can play barrier-free. Run by the Lethbridge Association of the Blind, this league gathers on Tuesday nights at the Holiday Bowl from September through April.

Come get involved and explore the amazing paralympic sports that Lethbridge has to offer! 

Do you know of other parasport opportunities in Lethbridge? Reach out to [email protected] to have your sport added to the story!

Source: Wang Z., Song B., Liu C., Ma H., Bai Z., Carneiro MAS., Youssef L., Chen C., Zhang L., Wang D., and Wang D (2025). Effects of boxing exercise in people with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review. Front. Aging Neurosci. 17:1505326. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1505326