How Russian doping scandal gave Canadian para-swimmer final shot at Paralympics

Imagine having two-and-a-half weeks to prepare for one of the biggest international competitions in the world.

That was the reality for Canadian Paralympic swimmer Zachary McAllister, of Lethbridge, Alta. 

Back in April, the London 2012 veteran went into the Paralympic swim trials feeling he had a decent chance at making the Rio team. But he missed qualification by 1-100ths of a second, squashing his dream.

"That really kind of crushed me," the 22-year-old told CBCSports. "I basically had to spend the next month convincing myself I wasn't going to be on this team because, even though I knew I wasn't, it was still hard seeing all my teammates at training camps moving on without me."

Then came rumblings the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) might be banned from the 2016 Summer Games as the ultimate punishment for the state running a doping operation that polluted sports by prioritizing "medals over morals." The ban meant the Russian team would lose its ability to participate in the Paralympics, creating more qualification opportunities for other athletes. But it wasn't something McAllister put much thought into.

"At that point I just really didn't want to believe anymore," he said. "I was almost hesitant, like, 'I don't want to go through this again.'

"I thought I was finished with that."

But then it happened. On Aug. 7 the International Paralympic Committee suspended the RPC from the Rio Games citing, amongst other things, its inability to ensure compliance with the IPC Anti-Doping Code. 

"It was… I don't know," said McAllister, trying to explain his reaction to the news. "I was happy, but at the same time I thought I had already lost it. So I wasn't super happy. I was like 'okay, I made it. Good.'

"It was a huge roller coaster."

Suddenly back on Paralympic team

So with just a month to go before the Games, McAllister was suddenly back on the team. He'd been at the gym, but his time in the pool had dropped from 30 plus kilometres per week to just two. 

"I'd say it's a huge disadvantage if I was doing more distance events because then I'd be completely out of shape," said McAllister, who will be swimming the S8 50-metre and 100 freestyle races in Rio. 

"For the 100m, it'll be kind of iffy, but for sprints it should be okay… I still might have the strength if not the fitness to be able to swim."

While McAllister admits less preparation time has clear disadvantages, there are also advantages to his situation.

"By having less pressure off myself for this meet, I might be in a better mental state to perform."

And that is McAllister's approach to Rio 2016. He didn't qualify the traditional way yet has accepted the realities that come with that. But one way or another, he's at what may be his last Paralympics, and plans to make the most of the opportunity.

"I spent four years training for this, why not jump at that opportunity to make it," he said. "I'm just taking it one day at a time, trying to have fun mostly. 

"It's good to just have fun here with the team. One last hurrah."