She's a Paralympic shot put and javelin thrower — and doctor. Meet LaSalle, Ont.'s Julia Hanes
Julia Hanes finished 8th in javelin and 6th in shot put
A LaSalle, Ont., Paralympian says her first ever games was "pretty incredible," but she wishes she could've shown better in one of her two events.
Julia Hanes finished eighth in javelin, which she was happy with.
And sixth in shot put, despite being ranked fourth heading in.
"I'd been throwing really, really, really well in practice this season," said Hanes.
"And even my last warm up throw was good. Then my hip strap broke. We weren't super able to get it back sorted in a way that meant that I could put my full power into my throw."
WATCH | Canada's Julia Hanes go for gold in the women's F34 javelin finals from the Stade de France:
She says she's disappointed just knowing that there was more in the tank.
"Something out of my control kind of prevented me from showing the world what I was actually capable of."
The Paris Paralympics were Hanes' first games.
"It's pretty incredible. It's been a bit of a whirlwind … competing at a high level internationally is one thing, but then coming to the Olympic and Paralympic village, living here doing staging camp for weeks in advance. And then just adjusting to life in the village experiences. It's been really unique and something really fun."
Hanes, who now lives in Vancouver, still has friends and family in the Windsor area.
WATCH | Hanes competes for gold in the women's F33 shot put final from the Stade de France:
She says Paris "absolutely embraced the games" in a way she calls "inspiring."
"Makes my heart really happy to see all these people coming out to celebrate Paris."
The 29-year-old says it was fun competing in front of so many people and that para sports — in pockets of the world — are really becoming popular.
"So often we're used to competing without a crowd or just a few people in the audience, who are coaches or former athletes," she said.
"So to compete in front of so many people, some of whom it might be their very very first time seeing para sport is incredible. The atmosphere, the energy and that stadium. It honestly made me just more excited to throw I would say as opposed to necessarily nervous."
Hanes says she got into shot put and javelin after having the sports recommended to her while competing in a sledge hockey game several years ago.
She acquired her disability, hemiplegia, a disease that causes paralysis on one side of her body, when she was 17.
Aside from training or competing in shot put and javelin, Hanes is also a doctor. She's completed medical school and is currently in residency at the University of British Columbia training to be a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist.
"I'm hoping to get through this year. I'm not thinking to too far past that, but I go back to work and then go back to study — study hard, hopefully pass that exam and then we'll see where I'm at."
While not committing to another Paralympic games in four years, she says she still has the drive to compete.
The 2028 Paralympics and Olympics are in Los Angeles.
"I obviously want to do a bit better than I did here. So certainly a world championship or two. And then we'll see if L.A. comes naturally after that."
Two other Windsor-Essex Paralympic athletes competed in France: Matt Debly and Mike Whitehead in wheelchair rugby. The Canadian team finished sixth.
Hanes also still plays wheelchair rugby and was part of Canada's first women's wheelchair rugby team to win bronze at the inaugural women's world cup in Paris.
With files from Windsor Morning