Chantal Givens had a picture in her mind of a simpler path to the Paralympic Games in Rio later this summer.
Fate, by way of an untimely injury last year, had a different route in mind, but the 38-year-old triathlete would not be denied.
"Qualification is based mostly on ranking, and though I was having my ups and downs, I was in a really good spot ranking-wise, and as soon as the qualification period started I had a bike crash and broke my shoulder blade," Givens said between training stints earlier this week from Victoria, B.C.
Her accident occurred right at the beginning of the Paralympic qualifying period last summer and turned up immense pressure for her to push the limits to merely stay in contention to be part of her sport’s debut at the Games.