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Patrice “Pico” Dagenais is a well-known name around here, you may recognize the name from Pico Park in Embrun, as a former Cyclone at l’École secondaire catholique d’Embrun, or as a member of our Accessibility Advisory Committee. What you may not know is that he is also a renowned Canadian Wheelchair Rugby player and the co-captain of Team Canada!
From August 28 to September 8, 2024, he will be participating in his fourth Paralympic Games after helping Team Canada win silver at the London 2012 Games and competing at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Patrice grew up in Embrun, where he developed a passion for hockey. Following a construction accident in 2003, his sports career took a turn, and he was introduced to wheelchair rugby, joining the national team in 2012.
What is Wheelchair Rugby?
Wheelchair rugby, originally known as murderball, was invented in 1976 in Winnipeg. It is a full-contact sport combining elements of basketball, handball and ice hockey. Today, it is played in 40 countries and counting. To learn more on this sport, view this video.
It is a rough and rumbling sport. Most players have quadriplegia. It is played on a basketball court and the objective is to fully cross the opponent’s goal line for a point. It is packed with non-stop action with passing, ball carrying and, of course, wheelchairs crashing into each other. This sport is not for the fain or heart, hence its original name of murderball! For more information on the sport and on Team Canada, visit https://paralympic.ca/sport/wheelchair-rugby/.
Cheer on the Team!
You can follow the team at www.Paralympic.org and www.youtube.com/paralympics. There will be highlights and athlete interviews on the International Paralympic Committee website. Paris 2024 will make history as the first Paralympic Games to offer live coverage of each of the 22 sports in the Paralympic program.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will begin with the Opening Ceremony on August 28 and continue through September 8. Audiences can tune in for CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8 on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website (cbc.ca/paris2024) and the CBC Paris 2024 app in English and on ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV, Radio-Canada.ca/paris2024, and on the Radio-Canada Paralympiques app in French.
We are proud to call Patrice Dagenais a Russell Township resident and wish him and Team Canada all the best at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. To all the athletes participating, Go Team Canada!