'It's very exciting': Ryan Shay earns silver for Nova Scotia at Canada Games

The athlete who won Nova Scotia's first medal at the Canada Games in Winnipeg says competing in para sports has been a blessing in his life.

Ryan Shay, 23, was awarded the silver medal in para discus Tuesday after throwing 11.55 metres.

"It's very exciting," said Shay, a Yarmouth native who trains in Halifax.

"It feels really good to be able to take this home and represent my province in such a good way."

Excelling in events he's 'dabbled' in

Shay said he's "dabbled" in discus and shot-put since he started training in wheelchair racing four years ago.

His speciality is sprint racing — it's where Shay said he has the most fun on the track. But he isn't competing in that event in Winnipeg because there's no classification system that factors in different levels of abilities.

• Ryan Shay competes against friend who loaned him wheelchair part

"It's whoever crosses the line first," he said. "The two more ... abled racers would have a better shot to get to the finals."

Sprinting toward Tokyo dream

Shay has his eye on making it to the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. Para sport has allowed Shay to travel internationally and meet other athletes and coaches since he became paralyzed in a car accident four years ago.

The former midget hockey player said becoming a para athlete steered him toward new goals as he was emerging from "something rough."

Soon he will be giving back.

Shay launches his first camp for kids with disabilities in Halifax next week. The four-day camp called "Shay's Opportunities for Disabled Youth" will allow young people to try para sports such as wheelchair basketball, table tennis and sailing. 

But first, Shay will take a shot at becoming a double medallist at the Canada Games when he competes Friday in shot put.

The Canada Games wrap up Aug. 13.