Cody Fournie silver at Para athletics worlds earns Canada quota spot for Paris Paralympics

Cody Fournie accomplished much more than collecting his first world championship medal on Thursday night.

The Victoria resident set a personal-best time of 21.17 seconds over 100 metres for silver in the T51 (wheelchair) division at the Para athletics event to qualify Canada for the race this summer at the Paralympics in Paris.

"That race went fantastic. I felt good … like I could stay on top," he told Athletics Canada from Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Japan.

The first- and second-place finishers in individual medal events can earn Paralympic quota spots for their country.

Fournier placed fifth in the 100 at his first Para worlds last summer in Paris, where the Toronto native also recorded a PB to finish sixth in the T51 200 event.

The reigning Canadian champion in T51 100 became a quadriplegic through an accident at 11 years old.

With few opportunities to express himself through sport, a young Fournie discovered wheelchair rugby in 2010.

His journey began in Alberta, where he played in Calgary and later with the Edmonton Steel Wheels Quad Rugby club, established in 2000 by a group of eager and young quadriplegics.

The team plays teams from across Canada at club invitational tournaments and in the United States.

Fournier also suited up for a California-based team out of Northridge and eventually with Team Ontario before moving to B.C.

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