Photo credits : Toronto Star / Union des artistes / La Presse / Canadian Paralympic Committee / Photo courtesy of Benoit Huot

Q. Tell us about a memorable moment from your Paralympic Games?
A. “The very first Opening ceremony in Sydney 2000, Australia. It was at that moment that I truly realized I was living my dream of representing my country at the Paralympic Games.”

Q. Did you have a ritual before a competition?
A. “Yes. I always had to eat pasta before a race, especially tomatoes pasta or spaghetti. [Laugher] And before important competitions, I made sure to have a new swimsuit before the race. I also liked to watch the movie Rocky 4 the day before the events.”

Q. How did you react to victory and defeat?
A. “At the beginning of my career, there were a lot of emotions on both sides since I had less experience. At the end of my career, I was much more serene with managing my emotions.”

Q. Tell us about a recent opportunity you experienced and what it brought you?
A. “I recently had the opportunity to be an analyst for swimming events at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. In addition to the 6 Canadian medals, I had the privilege to share the microphone with the legendary René Pothier. Being able to learn the inner workings of the job alongside him is by far what I appreciated the most during my first Olympic experience in swimming analysis.”

Q. What is your next project?
A. “I’m currently back home but I will be leaving again for Tokyo soon on August 21st for Paralympic Games. I will be on site one more time with the Radio-Canada team to share the journeys of our athletes. I look forward to following the swimming events, of course, but also our athletes in para athletics, wheelchair basketball and para cycling.”

Q. Why did you decide to get involved on the board of directors at INS Québec?
A. “I received so much when I was an athlete that it’s my turn to give back. I want to continue to be able to give back to young athletes and help them realize their dreams.”

Q. What have you learned from your career now that you’ve retired as an athlete?
A. “We learn so much from sport. You learn to be resilient, you learn teamwork, you learn adversity. It was the honor of my life to learn from the most beautiful school of life which is sport.”

Q. What are you most proud of?
A. “What makes me the most proud of my career is not my medals. It’s seeing the evolution of the Paralympic movement. It is certain that I wish to remain involved in sport, particularly para-sports, to pursue this mission of promoting the Paralympic movement. The ultimate dream is to see the Paralympic medal have the same value in the eyes of the general public as the Olympic medal.”