Adam Purdy can’t remember a time when he wasn’t drawn to the pool.
Born with arthrogryposis, a congenital condition affecting joints, the water was a natural form of rehabilitative therapy from a young age, but it wouldn’t be long before the heart of an athlete took over and turned water into gold.
At the age of 13, Purdy was invited to his first international competition in Malta. His parents were reluctant at first, but he said it’s an experience that changed his entire perception of parasport and what was possible.
“I remember walking on the pool deck the first time and seeing wheelchairs and prosthetics and all sorts of different bodies being equalized by the water. It was a huge eye-opener for me,” said Purdy, a PhD candidate and lecturer in kinesiology.
From there, he went on to competing and travelling the world, including to the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, where he won gold in both the men’s 100m backstroke and men’s 4x100m medley relay.
Now Purdy is returning to the Paralympics in Italy, this time with the lens of a researcher and official member of the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).
Social impact of sport
In his role with the CPC, Purdy focuses on sport performance, looking at anything that can impact and support an athlete while they compete at the Games.
“There are so many little pieces that impact performance,” said Purdy. “From accommodations to transport to daily training environments, we are working with coaches and staff to understand all these factors.”
Purdy will be stationed in Cortina, Italy, assisting athletes competing in alpine para snowboard and para curling.
While working in his official capacity with the CPC is a major driving force for Purdy, his time in Italy is also a chance to see firsthand the social impact of parasport, the focus of his research at Western. Purdy is looking at how ableism, particularly in its internalized form, shapes the identities, participation and representation of athletes with disabilities in parasport.
“My upbringing centred on using sport as rehabilitation, but it also meant breaking down barriers in a field that, in the ’80s and early ’90s, was still developing. There was some sport at the time, but it hadn’t grown into the global movement we now see with the Paralympics,” said Purdy.
He has seen a great shift in the visibility of para-athletes and parasport, and it’s that evolution that brought him to the world of higher education to continue to pursue avenues for advancing the Paralympic movement.
It’s a movement that he sees as continuously growing, but Purdy says there is still a lot of work to be done. In his career, he’s seen parasport evolve from an effort focused on inclusive participation to a full-blown, high-level competitive entity.
Through his work, Purdy hopes to see even greater sponsorship activity and media recognition for the parasport community and competitions.
An enduring legacy
With a life devoted to sport, Purdy’s legacy will undoubtedly be tied to his successes in the pool and his championing of para-athletes and parasport. But he’s juggling multiple priorities as someone who, as he says, “wears a lot of hats.”
“My goal isn’t necessarily to bring about massive change in the sport realm,” said Purdy. “It’s about shining a light on certain concepts within sport, and parasport in particular, in order to enable a greater base of participation.”
For Purdy, it’s about that next generation. He knows there are many children with disabilities who don’t have the opportunities he had when he was young. It’s through his coaching and research that he hopes to extend those opportunities.
“I want my legacy to be something that allows kids to get involved and find that spark of passion for a full and vibrant life, and sport is one of the things that can do that,” said Purdy.
In the meantime, his focus turns to Italy, where a group of elite athletes will do all they can to inspire others to achieve their own dreams.
Ever the competitor, he’s eager to see Canada bring home gold once again. “Go Team Canada. We’re going to kick some butt in Italy.”
Learn more about how Western is navigating new realities.
