Canadian Para canoeist Brianna Hennessy searching for greater meaning in Paris

A few days before she was set to compete at the Paris Paralympics, Canadian canoeist Brianna Hennessy said she was overwhelmed by emotion.

In canoe, Para athletes are fully integrated with their able-bodied counterparts. The entire Team Canada comes together for training camps, and international competitions include both sides of the sport, too.

Except at the Olympics and Paralympics.

"This is the only world-stage event where we're separated or segregated," Hennessy said. 

Hennessy, the 39-year-old from Ottawa, is in Paris for her second Paralympics and looking to reach her first podium. She'll compete in the women's KL1 200-metre kayak singles and VL2 200m va'a singles events beginning Friday at Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium.

But even amid the spectre of claiming her first medal, Hennessy is vying for something grander.

"Good on all these incredible Olympians that are kind of saying, 'Hey, don't be sad. The Olympics aren't over. The Paralympics are coming.' But I just kind of want to celebrate my sport specifically for how we have really already created that big pumping heart of a Maple Leaf on the world stage in all of our other events," she said.

To that end, Paris Olympic champion and three-time medallist Katie Vincent said she plans to watch her teammate Hennessy's races from vacation in Nicaragua.

Vincent said it was "a little strange" not having the Para team alongside her in Paris.

"They have a good sense of humour and they always kind of keep the mood light. And so that's always been nice to have around, especially at the big races. So not having them there, we definitely felt it and definitely noticed it," Vincent said.

But the Olympic canoe team consisted of 13 athletes. The Canadian Para team, meanwhile, is made