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Pierre Mainville
Pierre Mainville’s duels
The first time Pierre Mainville sat in a wheelchair, he was 17 and had full use of his legs. He did it out of friendship for a long-time buddy, Steve Leonard, who had become paraplegic. Together, they played hockey and basketball.
Never did he imagine that his day would come. Victim of a crazed gunman, Mainville finds himself a paraplegic in 2001. In all logic, Pierre turns to sport after that event. Having tried the sports he knew, he chose fencing. At the moment, Mainville wants to be master of his destiny, the sole artisan of his successes and setbacks.
Individualistic? No, intense! This intensity took Pierre Mainville from novice to competitor in the World Championships in 2006... in less than four years. Through the years, he collected five medals in the World Cup. He also took part in his first Paralympic Games in Beijing, where he came in 9th at the Épée event and 17th at the Sabre event.
I did not expect to rank this high in Épée, the Sabre
specialist explains, I was surprised to win against athletes who I had never beaten in pools. My
tournament ended when the Chinese won, therefore I can be proud of my acomplishment
, recalls Pierre,
adding he had not quite grasped the extent of the Paralympics until he stepped foot in Beijing.
I was shocked when I arrived; I was not expecting such a huge deal.
However, his daughter stole the show, more than her father, in China. After the Games, we visited the
Beijing region during two weeks. With her blond hair and beautiful blue eyes, she fascinated the Chinese
who wanted to hold her and have pictures taken with her.
For the Paralympic Games in China, the host country put much effort in improving access to different
infrastructure for people in wheelchair. There was even a place on the Great Wall of China that was
made accessible. But we did not go there. Instead, we followed the taxi driver’s advice and went to
another spot, more beautiful. In the end, I piggy backed with several people in order to reach it.
Many other visitors, from a variety of countries, also helped me
, he remembers, thankful for this
international cooperation.
A mentor unlike others
With such a journey, it seems quite normal to see him take part in the Prometheus Project. Teenagers dropping out of school is a social plague in Quebec where close to one out of four youngsters will not graduate from high school. In order to counter school drop-out, Prometheus pairs off the young ones with a mentor. Pierre Mainville is one of the latter.
I’m somewhat of a big brother in school, Pierre explains. The young people tell me what they want to and we have a confidentiality agreement. All that they tell me stays between us. The fencer meets the students once a week and makes himself available in case of emergency or need of the youngsters.
Sometimes, teenagers refuse to open up; it is then up to Pierre to break the ice. I tell them about my
accident. I provoke them to ask questions. It makes things more relaxed, particularly due to my rather
spectacular history, I must admit. Then they ask about my sport. Generally they think it’s cool.
And Pierre’s duelling proficiency proves itself again during those meetings. I met a young guy and
in less than three months, things came together and I didn’t need to see him again. I always enjoyed the
company of young people. I think those exchanges bring as much to me as to them. They take me back to my
youth, to what I was, and I lead them to see what they want to be.
Sharing
Share is a word that turns up frequently in Pierre Mainville’s vocabulary. What he likes best
is to promote his sport. When I put on a demonstration in a rehabilitation centre, I always stir up
some interest. I believe that I am slowly pulling in new fencers.
And Pierre Mainville looks forward to having more of a cohort by his side at international meets.
I remember once in Italy when I won a World Cup medal. There was nobody to cheer. I had to applaud
myself with all I had, otherwise it would have been dead silent in the gymnasium.
The Défi sportif serves as a gateway for Canadian wheelchair fencers. It allow me to test my skills
on an international level. It helped me, because I did not expect to begin competing in World Cups right
away.
His third place in the Sabre event in his first year in 2005 convinced him he was ready to
start his international career.
Surprisingly he took part in his first Défi sportif in wheelchair basketball, before the fencing World
Cup became part of the event. He still enjoys this sport, as well as sledge hockey, but he strives for
excellence in wheelchair fencing. Even if I rank high, I am not fully satisfied; I truly want to outdo
myself. I keep working and training in order to rank first.
Pierre Mainville will begin his fencing
season at home before going to Europe for the next World Cup competitions.
