Meet Wheelchair Basketball Athlete Chantal Benoit, 2023 Canadian Disability Hall of Fame Inductee

The Pulse

Synopsis

On this episode of The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta sits down with renowned wheelchair basketball player and inductee to the Canada Disability Hall of Fame, Chantal Benoit. Together, they discuss the Paralympic Games and the impact of parasport in challenging misperceptions about people with disabilities. It highlights the achievements of para-athletes and their advocacy for disability rights.. Benoit shares her experiences in the sport and the evolution of support for parasport in Canada. She emphasizes the importance of creating a strong foundation at the grassroots level and the need for continued growth and opportunities. The episode concludes with a reflection on the transformative power of sports in breaking down barriers and changing societal perspectives.

Link to Chantal Benoit:

https://www.wheelchairbasketball.ca/players/chantal-benoit/

Episode Highlights:

Chantal’s Upcoming Induction into Canada’s Disability Hall of Fame. (3:10)

Differences Between Coaching Able-Bodied & Wheelchair Basketball? (6:42)

Training for an International Competition (8:25)

How has the Support for Parasport Evolved Over the Last 30 Years? (10:12)

Getting Started in Wheelchair Basketball (12:23)

Chantal’s Career Highlight (15:06)

Advice for Young People Interested in Parasports (17:28)

Chantal’s Legacy and Impact Beyond the Sporting World? (19:02)

The Michael Jordan of Women’s Basketball? (22:45)

About Chantal Benoit

Chantal Benoit is an icon of women’s wheelchair basketball. A member of Team Canada for 27 years, she has won three Paralympic gold medals and four world championship titles. Often called the “Michael Jordan” of her sport, she is considered the greatest woman to have ever played the game. A role model for many athletes, she inspires her teammates, opponents, and the next generation of female players to excel. Off the court, she is a tireless advocate for inclusive sport.

Reference: https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-16515

About The Pulse

On The Pulse, host Joeita Gupta brings us closer to issues impacting the disability community across Canada.

Joeita Gupta has nurtured a life-long dream to work in radio! She's blind, moved to Toronto in 2004 and got her start in radio at CKLN, 88.1 FM in Toronto. A former co-host of AMI-audio's Live from Studio 5, Joeita also works full-time at a nonprofit in Toronto, specializing in housing/tenant rights.

Find Joeita on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeitaGupta

The Pulse airs weekly on AMI-audio.

For more information, visit https://www.ami.ca/ThePulse/

About AMI

AMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.

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