© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated
Thomas Normandeau was born without his left hand. However, he tackled the sport of soccer, trained in karate and now is one of the fastest para-athletes in the world.
On the advice of an athletics coach, while commuting on foot to and from soccer, he joined his high school cross-country team. Normandeau went on to compete as an able-bodied athlete at Western Oregon University and then Clark College. In college, he raced primarily in the middle distances of 800 and 1500 metres.
The 28-year-old Victoria, BC resident wants to make Team Canada for the 2024 Paralympic Games in the 400m sprint. His sprint best is 49.86.
Normandeau finished eighth and sixth during the 2019 IPC World Championships in Dubai and the Parapan Pan Am Games in Lima, respectively.
The interview
Christopher Kelsall: How is preparation going for the 2024 national championships in Montreal and the Paris Paralympic Games?
Thomas Normandeau: Preparations are going great! We had a great fall and winter of training which will benefit us this summer when we are expected to be in peak fitness. In the early new year, I was travelling around in the southern United States in search of warmer weather and continuing to transition into more speed and technical work. Keeping the body healthy and fit is most important as we transition into our preparatory races before our national championships and ultimately the Paralympic Games this late summer.
CK: You are from Peace River, yes? How did that small, Alberta town inform your sporting life? Which sports were you playing there?
TN: Yes, I was born and raised in Peace River until the age of 8. I was always involved in sports but mainly in the summer months due to our harsh climate in Northern Alberta. I competed in soccer and karate before we moved down to the USA.
Copyright: Dave Holland/Canadian Paralympic Committee
CK: Later you moved to Portland, Oregon. Was there a culture shock of leaving snowmobile and ice-fishing country for a good-sized American city with a temperate climate?
TN: Upon moving to the Portland, Oregon area it was a major change of environment. In Peace River, I lived on a 1000-acre bison ranch and in the United States our neighbour’s house was 100 feet away. The weather was much more enjoyable which allowed for many more outdoor activities.
CK: You were saying you played soccer and commuted on foot to and from practice. A coach noticed you and pointed you in the direction of athletics. How soon did you make the move and how old were you at this time?
TN: From the time I could remember I was running around kicking a soccer ball with aspirations of going professional. I played on a very elite team in high school with the intention of committing to a University on scholarship. In my last year of high school on one of my training runs home I was targeted by the track coach. Within the next month, I committed to try out for the track and field team instead of playing high school soccer.
CK: It has been a while since you ran your 800-metre personal best of 1:53.39 (2018) and it appears you may have had 2023 completely off. Were you injured?
TN: Upon committing to Clark College and transferring to Western Oregon University I always competed as an 800m and 1500m athlete. I had some success but fell short of my expectations. During my last year of University, I discovered para Athletics and quickly learned that I could only compete in the 400m because of my disability. Since 2019 I have made every world championship and Paralympic Games. Most recently finished sixth in the 400m at the para world championships last year. Every year all athletes battle injuries but with proper support and management, you can return to sport with little to no time away from training.
CK: Locally, there are a few other para-athletes, Liam Stanley and Michael Barber to name a couple. It is interesting that everyone seems fast in the 800m. Is that a distance you may move back to?
TN: I currently only compete at the 400m and would love to go up in distance to the 800m and 1500m again although the T47 classification does not offer the distance at major championships. With my classification, the major notice in impairment is the block starting and power generation through the arms (upper body).
CK: Obviously your goal at nationals is to firm up your qualification to make Team Canada. How about time? Is bettering your 49.86-second best in the cards?
TN: Every race is a great opportunity to better my rank and help with qualification. I have a series of races leading into nationals in which I’m hoping to better my time. I will need a lifetime best in order to keep up with the athletes in my competition distance. I will need a 49.70 or better to put myself back in the top 8. I will have until July 15th or so to chase this goal of mine.
