Cheering him on from P.E.I., Mark Arendz's parents filled with pride — and nerves
Mark Arendz has won 3 medals so far at the Paralympic Games
While Mark Arendz has been winning medals at the Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, his parents are back home in Prince Edward Island watching and cheering him on.
Arendz tied for bronze on Wednesday in the men's 1.5-kilometre cross-country sprint standing final in a photo finish with Finland's Ilkka Tuomisto. That followed an earlier silver in the men's biathlon 7.5-kilometre standing sprint and a bronze in the men's 12.5-kilometre standing biathlon, bringing the 28-year-old's career Paralympic medal haul to five.
Back in downtown Hartsville, P.E.I., Janny and Johan Arendz are staying up late to watch their son compete at his third Paralympics. Wednesday's bronze was unexpected for them because Mark is still relatively new to competing in cross country skiing.
"He has been, over the last two years, really getting better at cross country skiing but we didn't expect a medal at all," Janny Arendz said. "But when he was a little ahead towards the end, we were shouting at the screen."
"He was quite excited and we were really excited about him winning a medal, quite unexpected, but well deserved because he's been working so hard."
The photo finish for his latest medal didn't help the Arendzs' nerves as they had to wait to see if he made the podium. They've watched him compete and become friends with the same group of people from around the world, so they know how tough it is for him to place in the top three.
"The competition is really stiff, on any given day in any given competition, there's probably five or six that can do just as well so for him to do three out of three is quite amazing," Janny Arendz said.
'Every detail is still locked in your mind'
Mark Arendz lost his left arm in a farming accident when he was a young boy and that day still lives fresh in his parents' minds.
"Every detail is still locked in your mind, it's always there," Johan Arendz said. "The worst thing that can happen, happened."
The family went to a War Amps seminar a month after the accident and saw dozens of kids with missing limbs all doing well and realized they didn't have to worry about him being able to do things again. Mark Arendz also had an attitude of he can do anything he sets his mind to, his mom said.
"It wasn't always easy, but his attitude was always very positive," Janny Arendz said.
Olympics sparked interest
His interest in biathlon began while watching the Salt Lake City Olympics with his younger brother. At the time, the only biathlon available on the Island was through cadets. His brother joined and the coach asked if Mark would also like to try biathlon. He declined the first week, but relented the next time. He had no intention of picking up the sport, his mom said.
"But then he shot five shots and he was hooked and never looked back," Janny Arendz said.
But then he shot five shots and he was hooked and never looked back.— Janny Arendz
Watching him make the national team in his teenage years and compete at the highest levels of the sport has been
"I still remember his first win in France," Johan said. " And it evolves from there and every time it goes a step further. And you think when is this going to stop? But so far it doesn't stop, it goes on. That's the really exciting part about it."
His determination to overcome his disability and compete at the highest levels of the sport comes down to his attitude, his mother said.
"Sport has always been an important factor in his life and he's a natural athlete," Janny Arendz said. "And he's determined. If he sets out to do something, it doesn't have anything to do with his disability, it has to do with his attitude. He goes for something and he goes all the way."
Back in 4 years
His parents credited the Own the Podium program for all the financial support it has offered to Mark and the rest of the athletes on the team. They wouldn't be able to do what they do without it, Janny Arendz said, because it's not a very popular sport and they're para athletes so there's not a lot of sponsor support.
As for Mark's future plans, he returns from South Korea to compete in the national championships in Charlo, New Brunswick, next week and his mother said he'll likely be back in four years to compete in Beijing.
"I think he still feels there's still bigger and better things — I think there's still some colour of medal he still wants to have and hopefully he'll get that this year — but I think he still enjoys what he's doing, he loves the sport and if he has it in him physically, then I'm sure he'll continue for another four years."
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With files from Steve Bruce