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- José Rebelo
José Rebelo
A first Défi sportif for a paralympic champion
Sport has always been a part of José Rebelo’s life. As far back as he can remember, he skated, ran, jumped and swam. Ironically, his international career as a volleyball player is relatively recent.
José’s disability is the result of an accident. Accompanying his parents on vacation in Portugal as a young 19-month old child, a truck hit him and the doctors finally had to amputate his right leg just below the knee.
Nonetheless, as the years went by he became a seasoned sportsman. I always practiced sports, but in teams with non disabled people. I played basketball, volleyball, hockey and soccer. I also swam.
He discovered adapted sports rather late, in CEGEP more precisely. After a volleyball game, a referee involved at the world level talked to him about the Canadian Standing Volleyball team.
He saw a certain potential in me and finally put me in contact with the national squad.
When I think back on it, it’s funny. I didn’t even know that high-level adapted sports existed. I would have liked to start younger and try many sports
, he admits.
Thus, between 1996 and 2002, José was a member of the Canadian Standing Volleyball team, participating in numerous international events, the Sydney Paralympic Games among them, and becoming world champion in 2002.
Starting in 2007, the Saint-Hubert athlete switched to sitting volleyball, only variant recognized by the paralympic movement from then on. After failing to qualify for the Beijing Games, the Canadians have their sights firmly set on London in 2012.
In order to be there, they will have to excel at the Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in November. In preparation for this important meet, various tournaments are on the programme, among them one in London and one in Montréal, at the Défi sportif. The Costa Rican team will be visiting the city and will face off against our national delegation in April.
It will be the first participation in the Défi sportif as an athlete for the 39 year old volleyball player. Many years ago, there was an attempt to include paralympic volleyball, but it did not work out.
It will be very good exposure for our sport. It could help with recruiting
, says he who had been a Défi volunteer for volleyball with the Québec Special Olympics section.
The proud father of Ève, 4 months old, Hugo, 4 and Maëlle, 12 years old, is of course anxious to play in front of his own people. It will be the first time that I will have the chance to play in front of them in a big event like the Défi. It promises to be very nice.
It will also be a great opportunity for the director general of the Association sportive et communautaire du Centre-Sud to bring to another level his message of integration of people living with disabilities to non disabled people.
Sport brought me a lot. Through sport, you build your identity, your personality. It helps to learn to overcome obstacles
, José summarizes. He never shied away from using physical activity to achieve life balance, in spite of his disability.
Access José Rebelo's technical record
