Canadian Paralympic veteran looks to end career on high

 VANCOUVER, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- After crashing out of the 2010 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships and a seventh-place finish, Canada's Richard Peter feels he has something to prove in London in his final Paralympics.

As one of the country's most decorated disabled athletes with two Paralympic gold medals, in addition to a silver picked up at the 2008 Beijing Games, Peter, 39, is one of three veterans² on the Canadian team, along Dave Durepos, 42, and Joey Johnson, 37, making their fifth Games appearance.

With the Paralympics wheelchair basketball tournament tipping off August 30, and likely the swansong for the veteran¹ trio, a surprise quarterfinal loss to Italy in the last World Championships still weighs heavy; Australia, the team that beat Canada for the gold medal in Beijing, went on to win the tournament.

"We're definitely³ a veteran crew, and we're getting a bit older as every year goes, but that just means we've got a lot of experience. We've got a lot of young guys that are coming (up) too," said the Vancouver-based Peter, the lone⁴ aboriginal⁵ on the Canada team.

"We've got a really good mix with our team. We definitely hope to be in the final gold medal game ... it could be anybody so we're preparing for all different teams."

The Canadians will undoubtedly⁶ be stronger in London with the return of Patrick Anderson. Considered one of the sport's superstars, the 32-year-old quit the national team after Beijing to pursue⁷ a music career. He then returned last year following offers to play semi-pro in Australia and Germany.

"He's arguably one of the top players in the world. It'll be great," Peter said of Anderson who helped Canada to a bronze at last year's Parapan American Games in Mexico. "He's definitely a benefit and helps out our program a lot, so we'll definitely have to work hard to get there. That's what we've been doing in working hard as a team to keep everything organized and it will be fun."

Like Anderson, Peter played basketball professionally following the Beijing Games, spending two years in Germany and another 18 months in Italy. With a schedule that included playing up to 50 games a year against the world's best players, he called the experience invaluable⁸ and something he wouldn't have been able to do in Canada where there are no high-level leagues.

As someone who has been confined⁹ to a wheelchair since the age of four after getting run over by a school bus, Peter said he's undecided with what he will do following his basketball career. Going back to university is an option, while working with and inspiring aboriginal youth is another.

"That's what I try to portray¹⁰ when I go and talk to some of the youth ... just to let them know that even though there's a lot of different barriers, and a lot of battles out there, you still can overcome them. I never thought that I would end up representing Canada and representing Cowichan tribes¹¹ (on Vancouver Island) at the highest level and winning gold medals, so I'm definitely enjoying every moment I can and to get out there and represent my people the best I can," he said.

"Whether I'm that role model, I totally enjoy that and I know being one of the only First Nations athletes out there, that's what I work hard for to make sure that I can still succeed at any level. So it's definitely been a joy throughout my career that I've had a lot of different challenges and battles and was able to overcome."

With Anderson's absence at the last World Championships in Birmingham, Peter stepped up to lead Canada in assists¹² and field goal shooting percentage, as well as minutes played. But despite his past record and accomplishments¹³, he notes in London competition will be fierce for a medal of any color.

The Americans, a traditional powerhouse in the sport since wheelchair basketball was introduced to the Paralympic roster¹⁴ in 1960, haven't won a medal since the Sydney 2000 Games, while Turkey and Spain are rising forces.

"We know we've worked hard but a lot of different teams are much stronger, so it's still a pretty open field," Peter said. "There's Australia and the U.S. of course, and Great Britain is another strong team, so anyone of those teams can be in the final. But there's a lot of other teams who can surprise us and end up in the final also, so we got to prepare for every game."

1 veteran   

n.老兵；经验丰富的人，老手

参考例句：

• My grandfather is a veteran of the Second World War.我祖父是二战时的老兵。
• We often asked the veteran workers for advice.我们常常向老工人求教。

2 veterans   

经验丰富的人，老兵( veteran的名词复数 )； 退伍军人

参考例句：

• Some veterans of the two world wars gathered to celebrate their victory. 一些经历了两次世界大战的退伍军人欢聚庆祝胜利。
• Seasoned veterans were picked to storm the difficult enemy position. 有经验的老兵被挑选出来去突袭难攻的敌军阵地。

3 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

4 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

5 aboriginal   

adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的

参考例句：

• They managed to wipe out the entire aboriginal population.他们终于把那些土著人全部消灭了。
• The lndians are the aboriginal Americans.印第安人是美国的土著人。

6 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

7 pursue   

vt.继续，从事；追赶，追踪；追求

参考例句：

• He began to pursue an easy and comfortable life.他开始追求安逸舒适的生活。
• This is the path that we shall continue to pursue.这是我们要继续走的道路。

8 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

9 confined   

adj. 被限制的,狭窄的,在分娩中的; 动词confine的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The work will not be confined to the Glasgow area. 此项工作不会局限于格拉斯哥地区。
• It is cruel to keep animals in confined spaces. 把动物关在狭小的空间里是残酷的。

10 portray   

v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等)

参考例句：

• It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
• Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗？

11 tribes   

n.部落( tribe的名词复数 )；（动、植物的）族；（一）帮；大群

参考例句：

• tribes living in remote areas of the Amazonian rainforest 居住在亚马孙河雨林偏远地区的部落
• In Africa the snake is still sacred with many tribes. 非洲许多部落仍认为蛇是不可冒犯的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 assists   

n.协助次数v.帮助，促进( assist的第三人称单数 )；为…的助手；为…当帮手；辅助

参考例句：

• This chemical assists in construction of muscle, bone and other tissues. 这种化学物质有助于建造肌肉、骨骼和其它组织。 来自辞典例句
• The congregation assists at divine service. 会众参加圣礼。 来自辞典例句

13 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

14 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。