From fencing in a small-town Sask. church to Paris: Ryan Rousell's journey to the 2024 Paralympics

Ryan Rousell can often be found at the church in his hometown of Asquith, Sask.

That's because the church in the small town, just west of Saskatoon, doubles as Rousell's training ground for wheelchair fencing. The 26-year-old is preparing for his second trip to the Paralympics, with the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games set to start next week.

Rousell was born prematurely and lives with cerebral palsy, which affects his motor skills on his right side. His right leg is shorter, has less muscle mass and is slower to respond to commands than his left.

That didn't stop him from falling in love with fencing. He convinced his friends to join the Asquith Garde Fencing Club and competed with other non-disabled teammates for years.

"It just became a passion for me,'' Rousell said. "Just the mental and physical challenge of it is really engaging. It's kind of like playing … chess in real life.''

Rousell has been fencing since he was seven years old but was reluctant to make the jump to wheelchair fencing as a teenager. It wasn't until he got a visit from Sylvie Morel, a scout for the national wheelchair fencing team and his wheelchair fencing teammate in Paris, that Rousell decided to give the Para sport a try.

Doug Brecht, the head coach of the Asquith Garde Fencing Club, has helped train Rousell since he started fencing. Rousell's choice to compete with his non-disabled teammates for so long made him a better wheelchair fencer, says Brecht.

"He wasn't able to move with his opponents,'' the coach said. "This actually benefited him in the long run, because what that meant is he had to develop an extremely fast hand. ''

Rousell has since made a name for himself in the world of wheelchair fencing, with wins at the Americas championships