BACKGROUND

Jeff Adams is an elite athlete. He trains full time and is serious about his goals in 1996. He wants to win gold at the Paralympics and wants to see complete inclusion with able-bodied Athletics.

In 1992 Jeff qualified to compete in the 1500m at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He spent four years in gruelling training for that one race, his dream race. With 300 metres to go the push rim on his right rear wheel fell off, there was no where left to go and his dream of an Olympic medal remained unfulfilled.

After much speculation about demonstration events being taken out of the Olympics since that time, it seemed possible that Jeffwould never get another chance at winning a medal. Now it seems that the International Olympic Committee has come full circle and the men's 1500 m and the women's 800 m wheelchair athletics events will have demonstration status again in 1996 and possible full medal status in the year 2000.

Jeff sees himself as an athlete first, and hopes that the more people see of his athletic abilities, the less they will notice his disability.

 

MULTIMEDIA

• Read an interview with Jeff Adams
• See Canadian Junior Team at World Junior Championships 1986
• See Jeff Adams at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
• See QT video of Jeff Adams at 1992 Olympics (1.1mb)