North Bay’s Rob Shaw is officially going to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The Canadian Paralympic team says Shaw will be Canada’s sole representative in the sport of wheelchair tennis in Tokyo.
He qualified through his world ranking of No. 9 in the quad category.
The 31-year-old will be making his Paralympic debut in Tokyo, which also marks his official return to competition for the first time since the fall of 2019.
Shaw won gold at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games.
With that victory he became the first Canadian tennis player, stand-up or wheelchair, to win a medal in singles at a multi-sport Games.
“These are the types of moments you dream of as an athlete; representing your country on the largest stage possible,” says Shaw in a release. “I can’t wait to test my skills against the best in the world and put all of this training into my performance. I know the Games will be unique because of Covid, but as a first time Paralympian I’m just focusing on competing.”
Shaw currently lives in Kelowna, BC where he is training and completing his PhD.
The postponed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will take place August 24 to September 5, 2021 in Japan.
The quad draw in Tokyo, played on hard courts, will feature 16 athletes. The singles first round will kick off on August 28, followed by the quarterfinals on August 29, semifinals on August 31, and medal matches on September 2.
Congratulations to @Robert_B_Shaw who will be representing Canada in wheelchair tennis at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo! ??? https://t.co/XO5QoMyRX0 @TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/uJyxGhd88i
— CDN Paralympics (@CDNParalympics) July 16, 2021
