P.E.I.'s Mark Arendz to race in 2026 Paralympic Games with his brother behind the scope
CBC
For Mark Arendz, competing at the 2026 Paralympics in Milano-Cortina will mark his fifth appearance at the Games, and this one will be especially meaningful.
It will be the first time he will have his younger brother, Menno, at his side.
Mark has won 12 Paralympic medals in his career, including a Canadian record of six at a single Games in 2018.
This time, Menno will join him as a coach for biathlon and cross-country skiing.
“This one will be special with Menno joining me behind the scope on the biathlon days or yelling at me on the uphills in cross country. We've always had a really good relationship when it comes around sports. We had a very similar philosophy on what it takes to be one of the best,” Mark told CBC News.
“Thinking about who could I have behind the scope or as my biathlon coach and who's going to push my buttons, who's going to be able to push my ability further and further.…
“There was pretty much only one answer that made sense, and that was Menno.”
Menno joined the national team as a shooting coach in 2022. He said he was excited when he learned he would be heading to Italy for the Games.
“As a relatively young biathlon coach, it’s an achievement to go to your first Games,” he said.
Mark and Menno's parents will also be in Italy — it will be the first time they’ve seen Mark compete at a Paralympics since 2010 in British Columbia.
Menno said he still regrets not making it there, but is making up for it now.
“It has been quite a journey. We have seen ups and downs. We have seen lots of things on the road,” he said.
“Now we get to see the product of what we've done and the hard work we've put in, as myself as the coach and Mark as the athlete, it's going to be a very special journey all the way to the end to see how it all comes together.”
Mark will turn 36 just before the Games begin. As one of the veterans on the Canadian team and a role model for younger athletes, he said he also continues to learn from the next generation of teammates.
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