Sport Nova Scotia – A spinal cord injury suffered in motocross training in 2006 changed life completely for Ben Brown, now of Cambridge, Kings County. The competitive nature that had led him to motocross was subsequently rechannelled to paralympic wheelchair competition, unleashing a work ethic that has him at the threshold of Olympic qualification, and less than .3 seconds from cracking the world top-10 in the wheelchair 100m sprint.

Brown will be competing in the Aileen Meagher International Track Classic at Husky Stadium in Halifax 6:30-8:00 pm on June 22^nd and aiming there to achieve the Rio A standard for his event.

Coach Ueli Albert, who fortuitously met Ben in 2008 at a coffee shop, oversees a  daunting six days per week training regime that speaks to Ben Brown’s determination to succeed. His training week includes two days of three sessions of which one is weightlifting in the gym, two days of two sessions on the track, and two days of single track sessions.

The results have been dramatic, as Ben describes. “I started in May 2009. My 1st 100m took me 42 seconds now I am pushing 15.65 seconds. I am 0.15 off the A standard for Rio. In current world rankings I’m 18th in the 100m, just .28 off  the top 10. In the 200m I’m ranked 8^th.”

His pre-race mental preparation relies on music. After a check on the tire pressure in his racing wheelchair, if his mood needs rousing, some Metallica in the head phones helps. If he needs calming down, it’s soft country.

Support from cheering fans as he pursues that Rio A standard goal would definitely help, and Brown is hoping for lots of that support on the 22nd.

Tickets for the Meagher Classic are available online at ticketatlantic.com, at participating Atlantic Superstores, and at the gate, adults $10, senior and students 16 and under $5.

Sport Nova Scotia