Sudbury's Collin Cameron reflects on para Nordic success

The name Collin Cameron has become known in Sudbury and across the para-sport community.

The 30-year-old is a sit-ski para-athlete who lives and works in Sudbury. Despite a condition that limits the range of motion in his legs, he has been moving up the rankings and collecting medals since his first competition a few years ago.

Last week, Cameron won a gold and two silvers at the World Para Nordic Skiing Championship in British Columbia.

Cameron says he first saw a picture of a sit-ski on the Sudbury Accessible Sports Council Facebook page in 2015, and that's how he connected with his now coach.

"I reached out and just inquired about any local programs and it turns out that Patti Kittler, who runs the program, is heavily involved in the provincial level and national level," Cameron said.

"So it almost like it was meant to be."

Cameron then began a steady regimenof training, which nowadays includes six days a week of exercise, even in the summer.

"In the summer I put my sit ski on a big skateboard so I can cruise around on the roads and still double pull like I would on snow," he said. " Normally I go to Estaire to do that."

In the winter he says he uses Laurentian trails and KiviPark in Sudbury.

Cameron said that even with his medals, it's still his passion that drives him forward in the sport. He encourages others with disabilities to be active, saying the competition and training provide a sense of freedom.

"I think that's especially important in sport, but more so when you have some sort of disability that could limit you from doing a lot of other sports," Cameron said.

"So it's kind of a blessing to find something that gives me that opportunity."

Cameron's next competition is theWorld Cup Finals in Sapporo, Japanfrom March 12-17. But he adds that his ultimate goal is to wingold at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.