Zak Madell

Canada’s Zak Madell is one of the rising stars of world wheelchair rugby who has handled everything that has been thrown at him in the sport so far.

Madell, 19, began his wheelchair rugby career in 2011 as a new challenge after previously playing wheelchair basketball, ice sledge hockey and lacrosse.

He has always had a passion for contact sports from playing lacrosse and was able to make the transition smoothly across to wheelchair rugby from his background in sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball. He competed at a high level in wheelchair basketball, playing for Team Alberta at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.

He debuted for the Canadian national team at the 2011 Americas Zone qualification tournament and has since become one of the most important players in the squad as he is the focal point in attack.

The 3.5-player has already achieved so much on the court, but his biggest accomplishment was being a part of Canada’s silver-medal winning team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

He was a key goal scorer and playmaker for Canada who ended up falling just short in the final against Australia.

His most significant individual accolade came even more recently, when he was awarded the MVP title at the Denmark Wheelchair Rugby challenge in June 2013, a tournament which featured the world’s top eight ranked nations.

Canadian wheelchair rugby fans don’t take your eyes of this young star, he has the potential to be one of the best of all time and be a driving force in delivering Canada its first ever Paralympic gold medal in the sport.

Although a lot of weight is going to rest on his shoulders over the coming years for Canada, Madell has already shown he is up for it. If he can take his game to an even higher level than it already is, Canada may just be able to go one better than in London and take the gold at Rio 2016.