Greg Stewart speaking to a crowd of supporters at an event celebrating Kamloops' Olympic and Paralympic athletes on Wednesday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)
By Chad Klassen
TOKYO 2020 CELEBRATION

Stewart not done, gold medal win motivating factor in not retiring

Sep 8, 2021 | 5:37 PM

KAMLOOPS — Greg Stewart received a hero’s welcome on Wednesday from friends, family and supporters in Kamloops who helped in his Paralympic gold medal.

It’s been a week filled with congratulatory messages for the big man.

“Everyone’s saying ‘thank you,’ everyone’s saying ‘congrats.’ I’ve had a lot of people coming up to me lately saying with all the craziness that’s been going on in Kamloops — the residential school, wildfires, everything like that — I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘You brought a lot more happiness, a lot more light into the crazy situation.’ It feels amazing,” said Stewart at a celebration of Olympic and Paralympic athletes at the throw field below Hillside Stadium.

However, after four years of training and a delayed Games to win gold, what’s next for Stewart, who achieved more than he could’ve been ever imagined in Tokyo?

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He says he’s not ready to retire, even if it’s on top. In fact, Golden Greg is being motivated by his win.

“I was talking with [coach] Dylan [Armstrong] the other day, I think one of the worst things that happened to me on this trip is I won gold,” noted the 35-year-old Kamloops native. “And the reason being is if I hadn’t done well, it would be way easier to retire. It would be way easier to walk away from things and say I’m happy. But now, I’m in the gold medal position. I’m the Paralympic champion. I’m in shape. I feel good. What do we do with that? So that’s why it’s like maybe I’ll go compete some more because I’m in shape.”

The crowd welcoming gold medallist Greg Stewart, who won the F46 shot put competition at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

He doesn’t get much rest. Stewart will be right back in the throwing circle next Friday in Kamloops for the Bondarchuk Cup.

“Dylan and I were chatting and it’s like we have this two-week lull before I head off on vacation. I don’t want to sit around and do nothing because I haven’t sat around and done nothing for the last four years,” he said. “I was like, ‘Hey do you want to meet up tomorrow? Let’s train for this competition.'”

He’s a WolfPack legend after a basketball career at TRU. He successfully tried his hand at sitting volleyball with the Canadian national team, and now Stewart has a Paralympic gold in shot put. Are there any other sporting aspirations he hasn’t fulfilled?

“Greg was trying discus the other day. It was pretty sloppy to watch,” he laughed. “But who knows. I don’t know what the future holds right now. All I know is that it’s important for me to focus in on what I’m doing right now. I’m just enjoying this amazing, incredible piece of metal around my neck.”

by Chad Klassen

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